


Exchange Romance

by daisy_chain_gardens



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Exchange Student! Betty, F/M, Fluff, Kiwi!Betty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2018-12-11 10:43:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 92,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11712759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisy_chain_gardens/pseuds/daisy_chain_gardens
Summary: Betty Cooper goes to America for a year as part of a student exchange and ends up living in Riverdale with the Lodges. A story about Betty's year abroad and the people that help make it unforgettable.





	1. The Beginning

25 hours flying and an hour long bus ride should be enough to tire anyone out but Betty Cooper was too excited to sleep. She was just minutes away from meeting her host family; the Lodges. Veronica, the daughter, had talked to Betty on social media a bit and she seemed really nice, and really rich. The photos on her Instagram showed Veronica wearing clothes worth more than Betty’s house and she was always tagging various models or up and coming socialites in her Facebook photos. Her life here was certainly going to be a big change from her life in New Zealand, and she couldn’t wait.  
  
The bus pulled into the station and Betty recognised her instantly; a short Latina girl with immaculate hair and flawless makeup. Pearls, that Betty soon came to recognise as her staple accessory, were strung around her neck, shining under the yellow light of the street lamps. A slightly older woman, who Betty realised was probably Mrs. Lodge, was standing next to her. Veronica ran up to Betty as she climbed out of the bus, pulling her into a tight hug.  
  
“Hi B! I’m Ronnie. It’s so good to finally meet you in the flesh!” The older woman walked up behind her, sky high heels clicking on the uneven pavement.  
  
“Mija! I’m Hermione. How was your flight?” Betty followed them to a long black car and filled them in on her trip.  
  
“Oh my god, B your accent is to die for! All the boys at school are going to be clawing at your feet.”  
  
“Um, thanks, I guess. When does school start?”  
  
“Monday. Hopefully that’ll give you enough time to get settled and catch up on some sleep. Maybe Ronnie could even introduce you to her friends so you’ll know some other people before you start,” Hermione replied, her voice softer than her daughter’s but just as friendly.  
  
The car trip back to the Lodge’s apartment only took about ten minutes but Ronnie took it upon herself to fill Betty in on all of the things which she deemed ‘essential’ to survive at her new school. Veronica's boyfriend, Archie, and his best friend Jughead seemed to pop up a lot so she guessed that she would be seeing a lot of them over the next ten months. The excitement that Betty had felt on the bus was still there but now dominated by sleepiness. She managed to make it through dinner without closing her eyes for too long but she went out like a light as soon as her head hit the soft pillow.

\--------------------

The screeching of her alarm woke Betty up with a start much earlier than she would have liked. She got out of bed slowly and changed out of her pyjamas, not wanting to waste her first day in America lying in bed. She wandered into the dining room to find a full breakfast spread already on the table with a note from Hermione saying that she’d be back late this evening due to an event she had to attend. Ronnie hadn’t woken up yet so Betty helped herself to coffee and french toast before heading back to her room to finish unpacking. About half an hour later, the doors burst open and Ronnie strutted into the room. She looked like she’d been awake for hours, although Betty had a feeling that was due to the large mug of coffee she was holding with both hands. She was wearing makeup and a nice dress but no heels. For someone so small she definitely knew how to command attention.  
  
“All right B, we have a big day ahead of us. First up, shopping, of course. Your wardrobe is adorable but I think we need to spice it up a bit. Don’t worry, it’s all on me. Daddy is very generous with my spending money and there is more than enough to go around.” Betty nodded in response, slightly overwhelmed by her energy but also happy that she had planned something for them to do. Ronnie didn’t mention her father very often but given the Lodge’s lifestyle, she assumed that he was very well paid and therefore very busy.  
  
“Then, I asked the boys to meet us at Pop’s for lunch. Their milkshakes are to die for. I don't know what we’ll get up to this afternoon but we'll probably end up at Archie’s watching the boys play video games or something. Sound good?”  
  
“Let me just finish this and then I’ll be good to go. Give me five?” Betty replied while continuing to fold the stack of clothes on her bed.  
  
“Five minutes! Betty are you insane? It’s gonna take a lot longer than five minutes to get me ready to go out. I’ll come and get you in half an hour, maybe more if my hair is going to misbehave like it was yesterday.” Betty tried to suppress a laugh as Ronnie paraded out of the room. She didn’t quite understand why Ronnie would wear that just for lounging around the house. Betty used the extra time to sort out her desk and organise the few belongings that she’d bought with her. Although she had bought a sizeable stack of books, she couldn’t help but miss her extensive bookshelf at home. She made a mental note to ask Ronnie where the nearest library was as the two Lodge woman didn’t exactly seem the bookish type. How wrong she was. Ronnie still hadn’t emerged from her room 45 minutes later so Betty decided to explore the apartment a bit. The third room that she peeked into was huge with books covering every spare inch of the walls. She walked inside, awestruck, and started running her fingers along the shelves. She didn’t even hear the her host sister as she entered the room five minutes later.  
  
“I thought I might find you in here.” Betty jumped at the sound of her voice, startled into dropping the book she was holding.  
  
“Sorry Ronnie, I finished unpacking and you weren’t ready so I w-”  
  
“It’s fine B. This is Daddy’s library. I must admit, I’m more a movie person than a book person and since Daddy is always away for business trips it doesn’t get used very often. Help yourself to whatever you want. And by the way, my close friends call me V.”  
  
“Thanks V. You all ready to go?”  
  
“Of course. I can’t wait to show you around. The shopping scene here definitely isn’t on the same level as New York or Milan but it’ll be enough for now.” She linked her arm with Betty’s, pulling her away from the books and into Riverdale.

\--------------------

Four hours later, the blonde collapsed into a red vinyl booth while the raven haired princess sat down elegantly across from her. Betty could have fallen asleep right then and there, and it wasn’t entirely due to the jet lag. Veronica may be small but she was a force to be reckoned with when she was armed with a credit card. Between the two of them they had bought more clothes than Betty had bought with her from New Zealand, proved by the numerous bags surrounding them in the booth.  
  
“Archiekins just texted me saying that him and Jughead are on their way. They should be here in five. Do you want to order now or wait for them?” Ronnie asked her while fixing her makeup in a small compact mirror she had whipped out of thin air.  
  
As much as Betty wanted to order now, she couldn’t get her mother’s voice out of her head, telling her to be polite and wait for everyone else before starting because no one likes a greedy girl. “We can wait, as long as they don’t take too long. Who knew shopping could be so tiring?”  
  
“Oh my sweet innocent Betty, how else do you think I stay in shape for cheerleading? Heaven forbid having to go to the gym. Just the thought of it makes me gag. People seeing me sweaty? No thank you.” Betty’s laugh was covered by the twinkle of the bell over the door. “Archiekins!” Ronnie jumped out of the booth and wrapped her arms around Archie’s neck, kissing him deeply. “Hey Ronnie, long time no see.” She giggled as they sat down in the booth across from Betty.  
  
A tall boy with dark hair, covered by a crown shaped beanie slid into to booth next to her. “No kiss for me Ronnie? I’m crushed.” He put a hand over his chest, feigning hurt but revealing his amusement with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
“Haha, very funny Jughead. Boys, I want you to meet Betty. She’s from New Zealand and she’s staying with me until June so please try to behave. I’ve grown immune to your childish behaviour but I don’t want you to scare her off.” Ronnie shot Jughead a look full of ice and even Betty was a bit intimidated for a moment. Jughead gave Ronnie a innocent smile before turning to face the blonde sitting next to hi.  
  
“G’day mate.” Jughead’s face held a huge grin as he put on what he thought was a New Zealand accent, causing Betty to burst out laughing. “What?” His face fell slightly but he kept grinning at the sound of her laugh.  
  
“It’s nothing it’s just that’s an Australian accent, and a god-awful one at that,” she answered, her eyes wet from laughter. Jughead’s face turned red and he ducked his head a bit, his grin shrinking from embarrassment. Luckily the waitress chose that moment to come and take their orders.  
  
They sat in the diner for the next couple of hours, talking and laughing and eating. The boys spent a lot of time mocking Betty’s accent and she spent a lot of time laughing at how clueless they were about New Zealand. She felt like she had known these people all her life. The smile glued to her face showing how happy she was with her new friends.

\--------------------

Just as Ronnie had predicted, the group left Pop’s and ended up in Archie’s room after stopping of at Veronica’s apartment to drop off their shopping. The boys set up their video game and then started playing on Archie’s bed, leaving the girls to sit on Jughead’s bed on the other side of the small room. Fred came into the room at about 6pm to tell the boys that he was going to be out late and seemed surprised to see a pretty blonde girl sitting next to Veronica.  
  
“Hi, I’m Fred, Archie’s old man,” he said, reaching out his hand towards Betty.  
  
“Nice to meet you Mr. Andrews. I’m Betty, Veronica’s exchange student,” she shook his hand firmly, a friendly smile plastered on her face.  
  
“Oh yeah, Hermione mentioned something about that. New Zealand right?”  
  
“Yes Mr. Andrews. I just arrived yesterday.”  
  
“Well welcome to Riverdale and please, call me Fred. Are you two staying for dinner? I was just going to leave the boys some money for pizza.” Betty looked back over at Ronnie questioningly, not really sure what was normal in situations like these.  
  
Veronica piped up from her spot on the bed. “Sure we can Fred. Someone’s gotta keep these boys out of trouble when you’re not around.” She looked over at Archie and flashed him a playful smirk. Betty’s eyes met with Jughead’s and small smiles crossed their faces.  
  
Fred started to leave the room. “Knew I could count on you Veronica,” a grin on his face once his back was turned. He’d seen the look that Betty and Jughead had shared and recognised the look on his face as one he saw on his son’s face when he looked at his girlfriend. Jughead had a crush on the new girl.

\--------------------

Shortly after, the four of them were sat in the Andrews' living room, waiting for the pizza to arrive and watching cartoons. Archie and Ronnie shared a large leather armchair and Betty and Jughead were sitting on opposite ends of the couch in the middle of the room.  
  
“Why would you order a Hawaiian pizza Jug? Everyone knows that pineapple doesn’t belong on a pizza,” Archie said from his chair, his thumb drawing small circles on Veronica’s hip as she curled closer into him.  
  
“But pineapple on pizza is the best thing. I honestly don’t understand how you don’t like it Arch,” Betty countered from her side of the couch.  
  
“Thank you Betts. At least someone here has good taste.” He sent her another one of his small smiles and she felt butterflies in her stomach at the sound of her new nickname, sending her into panic mode. How could she have a crush on this boy already? She had only met him a couple of hours ago but they just seemed to click. Her panic was interrupted by her mother’s voice, always present in the back of her head. “This year is for academic purposes Elizabeth. You need to have something interesting on you CV for university applications ok? This means no boys. They will distract you and then that’ll waste this whole year for you, do you understand me?” Betty returned his smile before quickly looking down at her nails, picking at the chipped nail polish. The doorbell rang before they could continue their discussion. Jughead got up, grabbing the cash off the coffee table before disappearing down the hallway. He returned moments later with five pizza boxes stacked in his arms.  
  
“Why do we have five pizzas if there’s only four of us?” Betty asked, opening the box containing the Hawaiian pizza and helping herself to a slice. Ronnie untangled herself from Archie before reaching forward to grab a slice of the vegetarian pizza.  
  
“Well, that’s one pizza each plus an extra for Jughead,” Ronnie answered matter of factly. Betty almost choked on her food. One pizza each? If only her mother could see her now. After years of controlled diets and calorie counting this was certainly a change. Burgers for lunch and then pizza for dinner? It was a miracle that her new friends were all so in shape. Especially Jughead, considering Betty had picked up the vibe that he wasn’t exactly the sporty type.  
  
“I’m a growing boy,” Jughead stated as if he could read her mind. He picked up one of the boxes and set it on his lap, causing the other three to burst into laughter as he started on his first slice. They kept talking and laughing until the pizza was finished. Betty only managed to eat three quarters of hers so Jughead happily finished off the remaining slices. They watched cartoons in comfortable silence until Betty felt herself drift off to sleep.

\--------------------

She woke up and felt someone stroking her hair. She sat up quickly, causing her to smack her forehead into Jughead’s chin.  
  
“Ow. Oh my God, I’m sorry!” Betty exclaimed, reaching up to run her fingers over the red spot on his face. “How long was I asleep?”  
  
“A couple of hours, it’s about 11pm,” Jughead replied calmly, removing her hand from his face and holding it in his.  
  
“Where did Ronnie and Archie go?” She asked while fixing her ponytail.  
  
“Umm, they went upstairs a while a go so I thought it might be safer to stay downstairs with you. Plus you kind of fell asleep on my lap so…” He was thankful that the lights were off so she couldn’t see his cheeks redden. She was thinking the same thing, not only because she’d fallen asleep on him but also because of his implication of what Ronnie and Archie were doing.  
  
“I’m so sorry about that. Sadly jet lag doesn't disappear in 24 hours.” He chuckled a little and stroked his thumb over hers.  
  
“Do you want me to walk you home? You probably don’t know you’re way around yet and you might have to wait a while for Ronnie.”  
  
“That would be great thanks. Hermione's out tonight but I get the feeling she wouldn't mind me getting home this late. She seems pretty understanding, unlike my moth-” She broke off and looked up at Jughead who was looking back at her, waiting for her to go on. “Nevermind. We should probably go.” Her voice was soft and quiet as she looked down at her nails. Jughead took the hint and stood up, leading her out the door, her hand still grasped in his.

\--------------------

They walked home in a comfortable silence. Jughead occasionally pointing at things that they walked past to explain it or tell her about something stupid that Archie had done there when they were kids. His hand held hers the whole walk home and Betty was disappointed how quickly they arrived at a familiar door. She turned around to face him.  
  
“Thanks for walking me home.” Her voice was soft and she looked up at him. It took her several seconds to look away and then she stood up on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Goodnight Juggie.” She quickly turned around and walked inside, closing the door softly behind her. He stood there, frozen in the summer breeze. He lifted his hand up to brush his cheek where her lips had been just seconds earlier. He turned and walked the whole way home with a smile on his lips, fingers brushing his cheek. 

\--------------------

Veronica proved to be a lot more effective than an alarm clock since she managed to wake Betty up an hour after her alarm was supposed to go off.  
“Good morning B! Ok, so, Jughead came back to Archie’s last night with a smile on his face. I have seriously never seem him smile like that. Ever. So spill. Don’t you dare forget a single detail because I will find out.” Betty yawned, slowly sitting up and stretching her arms over her head.  
  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about V. I fell asleep on him while we were watching cartoons at Archie’s and when I woke up you had disappeared with Archie. Jughead offered to walk me home since I didn’t know how to get back here. That’s it. Nothing happened,” the blonde said sleepily. She didn’t need to look at Ronnie’s face to know that she would have a small pout on her lips.  
  
“So you didn’t kiss him?” Disappointment was evident in her tone.  
  
“No V. We didn’t kiss. We did hold hands while we were walking but I don’t think he meant anything by it.” Betty tried to keep the disappointment out of her own voice as she got out of bed and picked up one of their shopping bags from yesterday.  
  
“You did WHAT? You held hands with Jughead? Oh my god B I think I’m gonna pass out from excitement. This is too much for this time of day. I need more coffee.” With that she was gone. How she managed to move so quickly in heels was beyond Betty. She chuckled and started to put away the clothes Veronica had bought her yesterday. Ronnie returned just as abruptly as she had left, this time accompanied by two large steaming mugs.  
  
“I think you’re going to need some coffee to get through this conversation,” Ronnie said, offering Betty a mug. She accepted it with a grateful smile and took a slip before setting it on her desk and then sitting back onto her bed.  
  
“B I don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation. Jughead is great but he’s not really a people person, let alone a girl person. Archie is basically his only friend and I think the only reason he puts up with me is for Archiekins. They’re basically brothers. There were rumors going around school last year that Jughead was gay but Archie helped stomp those out pretty quick. Jughead holding hands with a girl is like Archie losing a football game. It just doesn’t happen.” Betty blushed at Ronnie’s words and smiled down at her coffee as she felt the butterflies wake up in her stomach. Jughead liked her. Holy crap.

\--------------------

Monday came around a lot quicker than Betty expected. She had spent some more time with Archie and Jughead over the last couple of days, hanging out at Pop’s and then at Archie’s which led Betty to believe that this was some sort of routine they have. Nothing had progressed with her and Jughead which left her feeling a bit discouraged but then she remembered it had only been four days and she was there until the following June, leaving plenty of time for something to happen. She was a nervous wreck on Monday morning; the nail polish on her fingers was completely destroyed and her bottom lip was turning red due to her teeth attacking it. Veronica went to school with her early to get their timetables from the office and give her time to sort out her locker. Archie and Jughead came and met them before class, Archie wearing a blue and yellow letterman jacket she hadn’t seen before and Jughead wearing his signature beanie which Betty had definitely seen before. She said hi to Jughead as Ronnie and Archie made out against Veronica’s locker.  
  
“What do you have first Betts?” Jughead asked as his hand reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. He had to lean in a bit to be heard over the noise of the corridor and Betty picked up a scent which she had begun to identify with him. It was comforting to have something familiar in such an intimidating place.  
“American History with Mr. Moreau.” She replied, her voice raised slightly.  
  
“Oh cool. You can, um, sit with me if you want. I know Ronnie’s not in that class.” His eyes dropped from hers from a second but returned quickly. She could tell that he was nervous and the butterflies in her stomach told her she felt the same.  
  
“Yeah that sounds great. You might have to help me because I know nothing about American history.” Betty sent him a small smile which made his eyes light up. He loved her smile. It was so warm and friendly, so Betty.  
  
“Can you walk with me to class Juggie? I don’t know my way around yet and I think Ronnie’s busy.” He looked over at his best friend and laughed.  
  
“I think that this is becoming a pattern Betts. Class is this way.” He’d grabbed her hand and pulled her gently through the crowds of students. It felt so natural, holding hands. Ronnie’s words came back to her and she smiled down at her feet.

\--------------------

The four of them had their after school routine down to a science. Archie would drive them to Pop’s after school for milkshakes. Ronnie and Archie would head back to school at about 5pm for cheerleading and football practice respectively while Jughead and Betty would walk back to the Andrews' or the Lodge’s to do homework. Betty had asked Ronnie, during one of their gossip sessions, why Jughead lived with Archie and Fred. She had shrugged it off and said something about Toledo before going uncharacteristically quiet. Betty decided not to push the subject and instead asked Ronnie about some new heels she’d seen on the doorstep that morning which quickly got her back to normal.

\--------------------

Although they had a certain routine with Ronnie and Archie, Betty and Jughead also had their own little tradition; old movies and late night take out. They found out pretty quickly that they both shared an appreciation for old movies, especially Tarantino, much to Jughead’s delight. It was a Thursday night and they were watching ‘Rear Window’ in the Lodge’s extravagant living room. Their burgers were finished hours ago and they were curled up on the couch, Betty’s head in Jughead’s lap as his fingers ran through her hair.  
  
“Juggie.” Betty said, turning slightly to face him. “What happened to your family?” Her voice was so quiet he could barely hear her. His fingers kept playing with her hair and he looked down at her, sending her that small smile that woke up the butterflies in her stomach. His eyes looked slightly sad and Betty suddenly felt guilty for prying, hearing her mother’s voice in the back of her head scolding her for being nosy. “I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer if it makes you feel uncom-”  
  
“No, Betts, it’s ok. I had a feeling that you were going to ask at some point. I mean it’s not exactly normal to be rooming with your best friend in high school but since when has anything about me ever been normal?” He tried to hide the darkness of his statement behind a laugh but Betty could hear the sadness in his voice. She reached over to grab his other hand and squeezed it reassuringly.  
  
“Um, so my Dad isn’t really in the best place. He, um, he has a drinking problem and one day, oh god. Betts, one day my Mum couldn’t take it anymore and she took Jellybean and left. I, um, I haven’t seen them since. That was four years ago” He wasn’t looking at her anymore but Betty could still see the wet tears on his cheeks. Her eyes started to tear up as well. She sat up and stroked his cheek, one of his hands still stroking her hair. Betty leaned forward to place a kiss on Jughead’s cheek and then hugged him tightly. Jughead’s sobs were becoming audible as Betty shook against his chest. They stayed like that until the credits stopped playing and they’d run out of tears.  
  
Betty let go first, untangling herself from Jughead’s arms but staying close. He caught her eye and then bought both hands up to cup her face.  
“Jug?” Her eyes were wide and filled with wonder. He leaned forward quickly, almost as if he was trying to stop himself from getting psyched out. He pressed his lips against hers. Softly at first, as though he wasn’t sure of himself. He pulled away and waited for her to open her eyes, hoping he hadn’t just ruined everything. The smile that he’d fallen in love with crossed her lips slowly before her eyes opened to look into his.  
  
And then she kissed him. Again and again, whispering sweet nothings against his lips. At some point his beanie fell off his head and she ran his fingers through his hair while he did the same to her, her hair tie long gone. Eventually they pulled apart and fell back into each other’s arms, staring up at the black screen, their smiles bright enough to light up the dark room. 

\--------------------

From then on, Jughead and Betty’s tradition changed. Not much, but enough. Their homework sessions were interrupted by stolen kisses, movie nights accompanied make out sessions and their takeout dinners always took a lot longer to finish. Somehow, their friends were still oblivious. Ronnie hadn’t pulled Betty aside to talk about how she looked at Jughead for a little bit longer than normal at Pop’s or how they always seemed to stand just that inch closer together. Neither of them were particularly surprised that Archie hadn’t noticed anything. Betty had only been in Riverdale for a handful of weeks and even she could tell that Archie wasn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. It was a Friday afternoon and the four of them were sitting in their usual booth at Pop’s, sipping on various milkshakes. Ronnie and Archie stayed for a bit longer than usual because there was a game on that night, a game which the red headed boy and the raven haired girl were trying to convince their friends on the other side of the booth to come and watch.  
  
“Come on guys, it’ll be fun! And what else are you going to be doing tonight anyway? Watching boring old movies?” Veronica practically yelled at the pair before taking another sip of her chocolate milkshake. She had a certain glint in her eye which Betty had come to come to associate with determination. She looked over at Jughead and saw a similar gleam in his eyes.  
  
“First of all Ronnie, we were planning on watching ‘Rebel Without A Cause’ tonight which isn’t a boring old movie, it’s a cinematic masterpiece.” He paused to let the point sink in but Ronnie just rolled her eye. “And second of all, why would we want to go and see a football game? You just watch some sweaty jocks run up and down the field and occasionally barrel into one another. No offense Arch.”  
  
“None taken bro. What do you think Betty?” Archie took his attention away from Ronnie for the short time that it took to ask Betty the question.  
  
“Well, I’ve never been to a football game before s-”  
  
“WHAT? How have you never watched a game of football before? I know that New Zealand is a long way away but do you guys live under rocks? Honestly B. There’s no debate now. You have to come, even if it’s just to watch me cheer, ok?” Ronnie flashed Betty a sweet smile as she stuttered in agreement, still not used to her host sister’s ways of negotiation. Almost before she could blink, Betty and Jughead were sitting in the back of Archie’s car on the way back to Riverdale High. 

\--------------------

Betty walked into the football stadium and was slightly overwhelmed. Even though it was relatively empty due to their early arrival, it seemed impossible for a school to need such a large stadium, especially just for football. Jughead looked over at her, a chuckle falling from his lips as he watched her gape at their surroundings.  
  
“Nothing quite like this where you’re from, huh Betts?” He quipped, throwing his arm around her so as to make the most of their friends' absence.  
  
“No not really. I mean, we have stadiums like this for regional rugby games but definitely not for any sort of school games.” Betty couldn’t stop looking at the expansive concrete jungle she was currently walking around. Jughead couldn’t stop looking at her.  
  
“You really are something else Betts, you know that?” He said, pulling her closer and kissing the top of her hair. They found a seat in the middle of the stadium and sat in a comfortable silence, the seats around them slowly filling up as they watched the various athletes warm up. After about the first five minutes of the game, Jughead turned to look at Betty.  
  
“Hey Betts.”  
  
“Yeah Jug.”  
  
“Do you even know how football works?”  
  
“Not a clue,” Betty replied with a cute smile on her face. Jughead kissed the end of her nose and then proceeded to explain all of the rules of the game. All those years being Archie’s best friend had obviously payed off. She wasn’t really listening to what he was saying but watching him all the same. He was surprisingly enthusiastic about football and was actually cheering for his school by the end of the quarter. Betty was getting into it as well but mostly just copying Jughead since she still had no idea what was going on. She did cheer enthusiastically for Ronnie when she performed at half time though. Veronica had taken it upon herself to explain all of her routines and workouts to Betty when she first arrived. Even though she had no desire to actually be a cheerleader, she definitely had a new appreciation for them.  
  
By the end of the third quarter, Betty thinks that she understands the basics of the sport and is starting to understand the need for such a large stadium. It’s addictive to watch and the atmosphere is unlike anything she’s ever experienced before. No wonder everyone comes along to watch the games.  
  
Archie scored the winning touchdown just as the time ran out on the fourth quarter. Jughead went mental, along with the rest of the crowd, and kissed Betty square on the mouth. She forgot where they were and kissed him back, hard. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he lifted her up and spun her around. It was a bit hard in the confined space of the stands but it didn’t matter. They pulled away and smiled at each other, slightly out of breath, before Jughead set her back down on the ground. Betty’s face changed suddenly, eyes growing wide with panic as she looked around, searching frantically for Ronnie and Archie on the field. Archie was celebrating with his team and Ronnie was bouncing towards him with the other cheerleaders.  
  
Betty stopped panicking and wrapped her arms around Jughead’s neck. Her fingers played with the dark hairs that had escaped his beanie. She kissed him soft and slow, a complete contrast to their last kiss but just as breathtaking. They broke apart slowly before walking down from the stands to congratulate their friends.

\--------------------

As soon as Archie’s car disappeared around the corner, Ronnie turned to Betty.  
  
“Why didn’t you tell me about Jughead? How long have you guys been going out? How did this happen? Oh my god B, you have to tell me everything! I just have to get changed and then we’ll have some girl talk, ok? Be back soon.” Veronica disappeared and then reappeared half an hour later in silk pyjamas. She still had her pearls on. Betty smirked. Trust Veronica Lodge to look fabulous in pyjamas.  
  
“Ok so spill. I want to know everything.” Ronnie said as she sat down on the edge of Betty’s bed.  
  
“Well we kind of … had a moment a couple of weeks ago. We were watching a movie on the couch and I asked him about his family and it just sort of happened. He kissed me and then we’ve kind of been together since then, I guess.”  
  
“Omg B, I’m so happy for you! What did I tell you about that accent? I can’t believe he told you about his family. I’m pretty sure Archie is the only one who knows what really happened. The only reason I know is because my dear, sweet, lovely Archiekins is the worst secret keeper ever. Jughead seems to really like you.”  
  
“I really like him too. We haven’t really talked about it but it feels right, you know?”  
  
“Yeah, I know. You guys are the cutest together!”  
  
“Umm thanks, I guess V. By the way, how did you find out?”  
  
“You two were sooooo obvious at the football game. And by the way, that kiss at the end of the game was totally hot.” Veronica teased before getting up and sashaying out of Betty’s bedroom. Betty flopped down onto her bed, her cheeks on fire. She quickly fell into a peaceful slumber, dreaming about grey beanies and flannels.

\--------------------

Fred had the boys helping him out on the construction site all weekend so Betty didn’t get to see Jughead until Monday at school. The two girls found Archie and Jughead leaning against their lockers waiting for them.  
  
“Sorry for the delay boys but this hair doesn’t do this by itself.” Archie smiled at his girlfriend while Jughead rolled his eyes. Betty leaned up and kissed him, leaving a surprised look on his face.  
  
“What was that for?” He asked Betty before looking over at the other pair that made up their friend group. Archie’s faced was shocked but Ronnie just winked at the blonde.  
  
“Oh, um, Ronnie saw us at the game so I just kind of assumed she would’ve told Arch already,” Betty trailed off, trying to hide her embarrassment by picking at her nail polish.  
  
“Hey,” Jughead said softly. He grabbed her hands, forcing her to look up at him. He kissed her softly before pulling away and flashing her a butterfly-inducing smile. “I think it’s pretty safe to say he’s figured it out by now.” Betty smiled back at him as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead. The duo walked together to their first class, leaving Ronnie to deal with an awestruck Archie.  
  
“But, but, but I never even saw it coming!” Archie explained to Ronnie as she slowly dragged him in the opposite direction.  
  
“I know my dear Archiekins. I know,” she consoled him, a smile crossing her face as she thinks back to Betty’s display of confidence. “But it kind of makes sense doesn’t it?”


	2. The First Date

A week after Betty and Jughead told, or rather showed, Archie they were together, they found themselves alone in the Lodge’s apartment. They were sitting on opposite sides of the dining table, surrounded by numerous books and sheets of paper. Betty was copying out notes from one of yesterday’s classes while Jughead typed away on his laptop. The sound of his fingers on the keyboard interrupted only by the occasional flipping of a page or tapping of a pen.

“Betts,” Jughead said. The room was left in perfect silence as his fingers stopped pressing on the keys. He looked up at the girl sitting across from him. Her hair was hastily piled on top of her head and her glasses sat slightly askew on the bridge of her nose. Jughead couldn’t help but think how beautiful she looked, trapped in her own little world and completely oblivious to her surroundings.

“Mhmm,” mumbled the blonde, eyes trained on the page in front of her until she’d finished her sentence. “What’s up Jug?"

“Um, I was just wondering, I have two tickets to a double feature at the Bijou on Friday. Do you wanna go? With, umm, with me?” He asked, his hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck as he kept his eyes locked on hers.

“Jughead Jones, are you asking me on a date?” Betty’s voice was playful and the way she said his name made his heart pound.

“Only if you’re going to say yes.” He noticed the way her green eyes sparkled when she smiled and before he knew what was happening, she’d leaned across the table and kissed him gently.

“I thought you’d never ask.” Her face remained just inches from his and he kissed her right back, hands reaching up to cup her face and bring her closer. She leant further across the table and ran her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck.

“Why hello there.” Veronica’s voice startled Betty and she leapt away from Jughead, slipping out off her chair in the process and landing on the soft carpet with a loud thud. “Don’t mind me, just passing through.” She grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl at the end of the table and left with a wink, thoroughly amused by the reaction of her new friend.

The next few days seemed to drag on forever, much to Betty’s disappointment. Veronica waltzed into the blonde’s room late on Thursday night and sat down on the large bed without invitation. Betty, who was reading in the comfy chair in the corner, looked up at her friend.

“Everything alright V?” she questioned, closing her book and moving across the room to sit next to the raven haired princess.

“No everything's not alright B. You have a date with Jughead tomorrow and you didn’t even tell me! I had to find out from Archie. Do you know how embarrassing that was Betty? Totally mortifying.” Ronnie sounded exasperated as she put her hand up to her forehead in mock shame but Betty knew she was playing it up. She pulled her host sister into a tight hug from the side and looked up at her pleadingly.

“Oh V, whatever can I do to make it up to you?” The shorter girl’s eyes sparkled and Betty immediately regretted asking. She was probably going to ask to tag along to take photos or something else equally embarrassing.

“I want to help you get ready and no protests because I know this is your first date. I’ll help you knock off beanie boy’s socks. Sound good?” Veronica asked, pulling out of the hug to stare Betty down.

“Ok fine. But, we’ll only have half an hour to get ready because the movie starts at five.” The blonde decided it was easier to give in than to try and argue and make it worse. She was getting used to Ronnie’s tactics and decided this was probably as good as it was going to get

“Yay! He won’t even recognise you once I’m done with you. 30 minutes probably isn’t enough time but I’m sure we can make it work. Sweet dreams B.” She stood up and was out of the room before Betty had time to reply. She went back over to the chair to try and continue reading her book but the butterflies in her stomach were too distracting.

\--------------------

The next day at school was agonising slow and Betty found herself unable to focus on anything that her teachers were saying as she absentmindedly drew tiny crowns in the corners of her notes. Ronnie rushed her home and didn’t waste anytime before sitting her down and applying various creams and powders to her skin. Veronica wouldn’t let her look in the mirror so Betty kept her fingers tightly crossed the whole time.

“Voila! Oh my god, Jughead is going to lose it when he sees you. Even I’m jealous. You look so fab B!” She let out a little squeal before grabbing a small mirror and handing it to Betty.

“Wow.” She let out a awe-filled gasp at the sight of her reflection. Betty had expected Ronnie to overdo the makeup big time with extravagant colours or dark smokey eyes but it almost looked as though she didn’t have any makeup on. Her eyes looked bigger and greener than normal while her lips looked soft and full. Her hair was out of it’s usual ponytail and in soft waves that fell around her shoulders. “Thank you so much V, this is incredible.” She stood up out of her chair and pulled her friend into a hug, squeezing tightly before Ronnie broke away.

“You only have five minutes until Jughead is supposed to get here so go and put this on." Ronnie handed her a long green dress that matched her eyes. She flashed a small smile at Veronica before hurrying out of the room to get changed. The dress fit like a glove and hugged in all the right places without being too flashy for a night at the movies. Betty had severely underestimated Ronnie. She smiled as she looked in the mirror and woke up the butterflies in her stomach again as she wondered what Jughead would think. Just as she turned to walk out of her room and show Veronica, the doorbell rang.

\--------------------

Jughead stood waiting outside the door, one hand in his pocket the the other fiddling with his hair. It felt strange to be without his beanie but he knew Betty would appreciate it. After what felt like an eternity, the door finally opened. He quickly dropped his hand from his hair and shoved it in his other pocket. Jughead’s face fell slightly when it revealed Veronica on the other side but she pretended not to notice and ushered him inside.

“Hey Ron. Is Betty ready? We need to go soon if we’re gonna catch the start of the first movie.” Jughead said as he sat down on the edge of the couch, his knee bobbing up and down.

"You know that the first half hour is always ads but Betty should be out in a sec. I must say, Jug, you clean up well.” His cheeks turned slightly pink as he reached up to fiddle with his hair again. He was just wondering if it was a bad idea leaving his beanie when Betty walked through the door and he forgot how to breathe. She looked gorgeous. The dress, the hair, the makeup, everything. He had a feeling that Ronnie had something to do with it but he certainly wasn’t complaining. He stood up and walked towards her, his hands reaching forward to hold hers.

“You look stunning Betts” he whispered as he leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

“Right back at you Juggie” she replied, copying his tone. Her eyes taking in his white shirt and suspenders which showed off his toned arms in a way she hadn’t noticed before. “What happened to your beanie?”

“I think I can manage without it for one night.” He smiled up at her and the butterflies in his stomach started fluttering like never before. Jughead pulled back first and stood beside her, still holding one her hands and suddenly very aware of Veronica, who was pretending that she wasn't watching them from the couch. “Ok, we’re off Ron. See you at Pop's?”

“Wouldn't miss it for the world. Have a good night kids.” The black haired girl looked over at the pair with a large smile on her face which Betty knew to mean that she was scheming about something. Every thought of Ronnie escaped her mind as the handsome boy next to her slipped his arm around her waist to lead her out the door.

\--------------------

Ronnie was bored. Her parents were out at yet another event and ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ wasn’t starting for another hour. She reached for her phone a speed dialed Archie, who picked up on the first ring.

“Hey babe, what’s up?” He sounded like he was slightly out of breath so Ronnie figured he was probably out for a run.

“Not much. I’m just bored. Do you want to come over? My parents are out.”

“Yeah sure. Just let me have a shower and then I’ll be over in half an hour. That work for you?”

“Why wouldn’t it? See you soon."

“Bye babe.”

Ronnie busied herself by painting her nails until she heard Archie knock on the door. “It’s open!” She yelled out, closing the bottle of polish with her semi-dry nails in a practiced motion. Archie came and sat down next to his girlfriend on the couch, kissing her as a way of greeting. She kissed back but then stopped abruptly and pulled away.

“Everything alright babe?” Archie asked, the worry evident on his face.

“Everything is fine. I just wanted to talk about Jug and B.”

“Oh yeah, he’s taking her to the movies tonight right?”

“Yeah, they left just before I called you. Why is he taking her to the movies? They watch movies all the time. They even did it before they were ‘together’.”

“Wait, what’s the date today?”

“2nd of October. What’s the date got to do with anything?”

“It’s Jughead’s birthday. You know how he always goes to the Bijou to watch double feature today. Normally I go with him but I guess things are a bit different this year.”

“WHAT! But Betty doesn’t even know? She hasn’t gotten him a present or anything! Oh my god she’s going to freak! I have to tell her just give me a minute to find my phone.” She started to get up off the couch but Archie grabbed her arm and dragged her down to sit on his lap. His thumb drew small circles on the back of her hand as she leaned into him

“You’ve got to let him tell her Ron. You know how he is about his birthday. I get why he didn’t tell her but even the fact that he invited her to the movies with him is a pretty big deal. I knew he liked her but I didn’t realise he liked her this much.”

“I have an idea.” Archie stopped moving his thumb as Ronnie pulled away slightly.

“Ronnie, you know that we’ve talked about your scheming before. Jug asked me to try and make sure you don’t do anything stupid that'll end up getting in between them.”

“That’s cute that he thinks you can stop me from scheming Archiekins. Don’t worry, there’s no way this plan will backfire. Trust me.”

\--------------------

By the time the final credits rolled in the theater it was dark outside. Jughead and Betty took their time getting out of the theatre, neither of them wanting to join back up with their friends and end their date. They held hands as they walked, arms swaying loosely. A comfortable silence had fallen over them as they made their way to Pop’s that was only interrupted by the buzzing of Jughead’s phone. He pulled it out of his pocket and laughed when he read the text on the screen. He handed it over to Betty who read it out loud.

“Hey Jug, Ronnie’s staying over tonight coz Dad’s out. Any chance u could stay with Betty?” She let out a laugh before handing him his phone back. “Now I know why Ronnie was flashing around her scheming smile before we left.”

“She has a scheming smile?”

“Have you even met Ronnie? Of course she has a scheming smile!” She bumped into his side softly and then went quiet as she stared down at her feet. “You can, um, you can come over if you want.” Her voice was soft as a whisper as she looked up at him, her eyes wide and nervous.

“I would love to Betts.” He stated as he took his hand from hers and moved it around her shoulder before kissing the top of her head. She practically melted into him and found herself wishing she live in this moment forever. Walking aimlessly in the cool autumn air, wrapped up in his arms. She felt safe. 

“Should we go to Pop’s or just order in?” She asked, pulling away slightly to look up at him.

“I think Pop’s. We’re almost there anyway.” Jughead pulled her back into his side, holding her tight until the red glow of the diner lit up their faces.

\--------------------

It was 11pm by the time they got back to the Lodge’s apartment. They were both exhausted but neither of them wanted to admit it and bring their magical evening to an end. Betty unlocked the door and then dragged Jughead to the couch with the intention of watching yet another movie. Neither of them felt like moving once they’d sat down so instead they stared up at the black screen, making the most of their closeness. She was laying down with her head on his lap as his fingers ran through her hair, just like they had been before he’d kissed her for the first time. Even though it was the same, it felt different, more intimate. Her eyelids started to feel heavy and she closed them for what she swore was just a second. A shot while later she was vaguely aware of Jughead picking her up and carrying her to her room before setting her down on her bed. He pulled off her shoes and then tucked her under the covers. Betty found herself wondering if he’d done this before. Jughead then bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“Goodnight Betts.” He whispered in her ear before turning to walk out of the room. Betty reached out and grabbed his hand, forcing him to turn and face her.

“Jug, could you stay?” Her words were distorted with sleep but they still brought a soft smile to his face.

“Anything for you Betts.” Jughead took off his shoes and then lay down behind her, his arm falling over her hip to hold her hand. “Thank you for the perfect birthday.” He said into her hair, so softly he wasn’t even sure if he’d said it out loud.

“Happy Birthday Juggie.” Betty replied before falling into a peaceful slumber.

\--------------------

Veronica quietly opened the front door of the apartment in the early hours of the morning. High heels in hand as her stockinged feet padded softly along the expensive wooden floor. The door to Betty’s bedroom was half open so Ronnie took it upon herself to make sure her plan had worked. Sure enough, the two teens were lying under the covers, arms wrapped around each other and bodies pressed together. Ronnie quietly stepped back out of the room, pulling her phone out of her pocket to text Archie what had come of her scheme.

\--------------------

Betty woke up early and rolled over to find herself face to face with Jughead. She smiled and couldn’t help but think that this was what she wanted to wake up to every morning; the tall dark haired boy in front of her with his messy hair and the lazy smile that played on his lips. She kissed him softly and then snuck out of the sheets to get changed.

Jughead woke up in the middle of the morning, the smell of bacon and maple syrup filling the room. The bed seemed empty without a certain blonde lying next to him so he untangled himself from the covers and went off to look for her. He found her in the kitchen. She’d changed out of her green dress into sweatpants and a large t-shirt. Her hair was back up in it’s usual ponytail. Jughead found her so effortlessly beautiful that it left him speechless. He watched her from the doorway for a few seconds. She was dancing by the stove top, singing loudly to an upbeat song he didn’t recognise.

“Hey there Betts.” He had to yell from his spot by the door to be heard over the music and it made her jump.

“Holy crap Jug! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” He laughed as he walked towards her. She hit his arm playfully when he reached over her to grab some bacon out of the pan.

“What’s all this for?” He asked through a mouthful of bacon.

“Well, you know how you told me last night it was your birthday? We didn’t do anything special so I wanted to make it up to you by making you breakfast.” An absent-minded smile played on her lips as she fiddled with the collar of his crinkled shirt.

“Thanks Betts but you really didn’t have to. Last night was the best thing you could that you could’ve given me. Thank you.” He leaned down and kissed her, softly at first but then with increasing urgency once she responded.

“Ahem. Morning lovebirds.” Veronica’s unannounced entrance split them apart once again as she sauntered over to the bench to pour herself some coffee. Betty turned around and busied herself with the pancakes while Jughead suddenly became fascinated in the ornate fruit bowl. “Relax you guys I’m only joking, kind of. How was your night?” She fluttered her eyelashes innocently over the top of her coffee mug, taking a long sip while somehow maintaining eye contact with both of them at the same time.

“It was really fun thanks V. I would ask you the same but I don’t think I want to know,” Betty replied, turning off the element and sliding the last pancake out of the pan.

“Touche B. Hope you had a nice birthday with your girlfriend Jughead!” Ronnie called over her shoulder as she walked out of the kitchen, her large coffee mug grasped tightly between her hands. Betty and Jughead looked at each other and blushed. They ate their pancakes without much conversation and Betty was reminded of the feeling that she had last night. She found herself thinking that more and more when she was with Jughead. How much she would love to just be with him forever and ever. A smile claimed her lips as she got a warm fuzzy feeling inside. Suddenly, she realised something; she was falling for Jughead.

\--------------------

Archie found his dad in the kitchen making coffee when he went down for breakfast.

“Hey Dad.” Archie said sleepily as he stretched his arms.

“Hi son. How was your sleep?” The red headed boy froze mid stretch but managed to play it cool, hoping his Dad hadn’t noticed. He turned towards the cupboard to try and find his cereal.

“Pretty uneventful.”

“Glad to hear it. Hey, you haven't seen Jughead around this morning have you?” Archie’s face turned the same colour as his hair as he tried to think of an adequate excuse. He didn’t have an issue lying to his dad, he was just awful at thinking on the spot.

“He, umm, I think he said something about going to get some milk.”

“Huh. Well that's interesting since I did the shopping yesterday.” Fred managed to catch his son’s gaze and saw the panic in his eyes. “Come one bud, where was he really?”

“Ok fine. Jughead spent the night at Betty’s house, well, Ronnie’s house I guess.” Fred was a bit taken aback by how quickly his son had cracked. His answer, however, didn’t surprise him at all.

“Oh ok. She seems like a nice girl. Are her and Jughead getting serious or…” He let the question hang open, knowing that his son would supply an answer.

“Well not serious serious. They only had their first date last night but he took her to the Bijou for a double feature and it was his birthday. That’s pretty serious for Jughead. I think he really likes her Dad. She makes him really happy.”

“I’m glad that he’s happy, I really am. Jughead needs something good in his life at the moment so I’m happy that she’s come around. I just, I don’t want to see him get hurt, that’s all.” With that he walked out of the kitchen, abandoning his untouched coffee on the counter and leaving Archie to keep searching for his cereal.


	3. The Perfect Day

A ringing noise filled Betty’s room early, really early. She reached over and grabbed her phone. The light momentarily blinding her as she fumbled around trying to lower the brightness and answer the call at the same time.

“Elizabeth, happy birthday!” Alice’s chirpy voice seemed about fifty times too loud for Betty’s ears at this time in the morning.

“Thanks Mum. You know it’s 5:30 in the morning here, right?” Betty croaked in the direction of the phone, her eyes still not functioning properly.

“Oh no, have I screwed up the time difference again? I was wondering why you were looking like that. Should I call back later?” 

“No, no it’s fine Mum. I’m already awake so we might as well talk now,” Betty replied, ignoring her mother's dig at her appearance while she tried to sit up. She rubbed her eyes to try and get rid of the sleep stuck in them but was met with little success.

“So, Elizabeth, any big plans for today?” A smile crossed the sleepy blonde’s face as she thought about today. It was finally her birthday, her favourite day of the year. Jughead was coming over later to hang out and then they were going to catch up with Ronnie and Archie to watch movies and eat takeaways. It wasn’t anything major but she couldn’t wait.

“Nothing special. V and I are gonna have some friends over for movie and takeout tonight but I’m not getting up to much during the day.” Although Betty had never been the best at lying to her mother, it was a whole lot easier when she was thousand of miles away.

“That sounds … nice. Have you been using that face cream I sent over? Your skin is looking a bit irritated, you need to drink more water.” Alice pointed out. The screen froze momentarily, giving Betty enough time to roll her eyes without her mother noticing.

“Of course Mum. I’ll grab some water when I get out of bed. 5:30 in the morning remember?” Betty retaliated, hoping that it wasn’t too obvious how irritated she was at her mother for already putting her in a less than pleasant mood. Typical Alice Cooper. 

“Well everything is going well here thanks for asking Elizabeth. Polly is coming home in a couple of weeks but she’s already on holiday. Honestly, I swear they are always on holiday at that university of hers. This is why you’re over there Elizabeth, remember that. I want something better for you than what Polly has.” Betty felt homesick at the mention of her beloved sister. The emotion quickly passed as it was replaced by disgust at her mother’s opinion of Polly’s education.

“I know Mum, I’m sure you won’t let me forget it.”

Alice continued to fill her youngest daughter in on various things happening in back in Wellington but Betty stopped listening after a while, having perfected the art of nodding and mumbling generic response at a very young age. A while later she broke out of her daze and interrupted her mother while she was complaining about a neighbour who had supposedly stolen one of their recycling bin.

“Sorry Mum but I need to go. Kevin is supposed to call me in ten minutes so I should probably get up and out of my pyjamas.”

“Of course Elizabeth. Happy birthday again. Don’t forget to drink some water before your friend calls. I love you, have a great day.”

“Thanks Mum, I will. Love you too,” Betty said before quickly hanging up.

\--------------------

Betty’s phone rang again at exactly 6:30. She hurried over to where she’d left it on her dresser and quickly answered it.

“Happy birthday Betts!” Kevin called out through the screen, a huge smile crossing her face. 

“Aww thanks Kev, you’re the best.”

“I miss you so much, you have no idea,” he exclaimed, the corner of his lips turning down in a fake pout.

“Trust me I know,” Betty replied as she sat down on her bed. “I did talk to you two days ago though.”

“Yeah I know but it’s not the same,” whined Kevin. “Anyway, on a lighter note, how are you going to celebrate the big one seven?” 

“Umm, well I’m spending the day with Jughead and then we’re gonna watch movies with Ronnie and Arch tonight.” 

“Oooh, Betty. And what exactly are you planning on doing with a whole day alone with your handsome prince, hmm?” Kevin waggled his eyebrows comically, Betty falling into a fit of laughter.

“Probably nothing even close to what you’re thinking in that screwed up little heads of yours Kev.”

“I’m hurt.” Kevin held a hand up to his chest in mock offense.” “But seriously, what are you doing?”

“I don’t actually know,” Betty admitted. “Jughead said he was planning something but he hasn’t let anything slip.”

“How intriguing. Be sure to fill me in on everything, and I mean everything.”

“I always do Kev.” Betty said light-heartedly. The topic of the conversation then turned to more trivial things as Kevin filled his best friend in on the various gossip that was currently circulating. The conversation kept flowing and Betty started to feel like she was back at home, sitting in her pink room on the phone to Kevin as he talked her ear off. It was a strange feeling, to be going through such a familiar routine but feel so detached from it. Kevin eventually had to leave but Betty sat there for a long time. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared out the window. All she really wanted in that moment was to be able to talk to Kevin for just a little while longer. To slip back into that bubble of familiarity instead of sitting here in isolation. To go home.

\--------------------

Jughead strolled into the Lodge’s apartment at nine o’clock with a bunch of flowers in one hand and a small present in the other. He walked straight to Betty’s room and knocked softly on the door. 

“Come in,” Betty’s voice sounded small and broken, forcing Jughead to open the door faster than he thought was humanly possible.

“Betty,” Jughead’s heart broke at the sight of her. She looked so small. Her hands quickly came up to her face to wipe away the tears but they just kept coming. He placed the flowers and the gift on top of her dresser before sitting down next to the broken blonde and hugging her tightly. He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head as she collapsed into him. “What’s wrong Betts?” Betty could hear the worry clearly in his voice as she pulled away from the hug, trying again to dry her teary eyes.

“It’s nothing, it’s stupid. Don’t worry about it Jug. I’m fine,” she replied with a fake smile. Jughead looked at her cautiously before resting his hand on one of her leg, his thumb moving in small circles.

“Betts, come on, I know you. You don’t cry over nothing. What’s going on?” He asked again. She looked down at his thumb as the smile fell from her lips.

“I just … I’m kinda homesick. I talked to Kevin this morning and just had this unexplainable urge to go back home,” Jughead’s hand moved from her leg to her check, brushing away the tears that had started to fall again. “It’s not that I don’t love it here, I mean it’s honestly a dream come true. In fact, I feel like this is a dream, like I’m not really living, you know? I feel like I’ve just hit pause on my life but no one else has. Everyone else is still carrying on with their everyday routine but I’m here on the other side of the world and no one cares. Everyone back home just assumes that I’m having the time of my life and everything is so easy and I’m living the ‘American dream’ or whatever. Everyone here just treats me like the new kid and makes fun of my accent. I just want things to be normal.” Her tears had dried up now as anger replaced her loneliness.

“Betty, it’s absolutely fine to be homesick. You’re allowed to break down sometimes. You’re allowed to cry and be angry and scream and kick stuff. You don’t need to be strong all the time. I don’t know how to help you with all of that stuff but I will personally beat up whoever makes you feel like you’re unwanted ok? Nobody should ever have to feel that way, especially not you.”

Jughead pulled her into his arms again and this time she didn’t pull away. They stayed that way for a long time; Betty curled up around Jughead as he stroked her hair and whispered sweet nothings in her ear. A while later she sat up and looked out the window. 

“It’s snowing,” she said quietly, her voice still hoarse from the tears. She walked over to the window and Jughead couldn’t help but think how pure and innocent she looked. Her eyes were wide with wonder and she looked out at the white blanket falling over the town. Jughead got up slowly and stood next to her.

“Happy birthday Betts.”

\--------------------

Betty had become too entranced by the snow to register that she hadn’t yet eaten. He offered to grab some breakfast and she nodded absent mindedly, not fully registering the question as the white flakes drifted past the glass. He chuckled under his breath before leaving the room in search of food. Veronica was in the kitchen making coffee when he arrived. Jughead was planning on making some toast or finding some cereal but there was already a tray full of pastries on the bench. He searched the cupboards for a clean plate before loading it up with pastries and fruit.

“Hey Jug, is B ok? I thought I heard her crying this morning but I didn’t really want to intrude.” Ronnie asked before taking a sip of her coffee.

“Yeah she’s ok, just a bit homesick. It’s kind of hard for her, being away from her family and friends on her birthday.” Jughead replied while filling two glasses up with orange juice.

“That sucks. I know how much she was looking forward to her birthday but I didn’t even think about that. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.” Jughead smiled up at her in response before continuing to empty the kitchen of various breakfast foods. 

“Actually,” he said, stopping what he was doing and turning around to face her. “I do have an idea but it might be kind of hard.”

“Anything for B. Just name it and I’ll sort it out.”

“Ok, so…”

\--------------------

After their huge breakfast, Betty and Jughead put on their winter coats and stepped out into the snow. Jughead couldn’t stop smiling at his girlfriend. She was running and spinning and jumping around the streets as he followed along behind her. Despite his hatred of cellphones and what they had done to their society, Jughead couldn’t help himself when he pulled his out of his pocket and took some photos of the carefree blonde. 

“You would think you’ve never seen snow, Betts,” Jughead quipped. He shoved his phone back into his pocket before she turned around. 

“Well, I haven’t really. I mean, I’ve seen snow but I’ve never actually been outside while it’s snowing. Wellington gets cold but it’s right next to the sea so no snow for us.” Although her tone was slightly sad, Betty was beaming at the magical scene surrounding her. 

“I guess I never really thought about that. Do you want to stay outside or should we find something to do indoors?” Jughead asked as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her tightly into his side. 

“Outside, definitely.”

“Ok. I know somewhere we can go.” With that, she was off. She ran down the deserted street, leaving Jughead far behind. Her laughter bounced between the pastel houses and Jughead was starting to wonder if maybe snow was a bit magical. It had to be to turn the crying, broken girl he saw this morning into this playful, carefree Betty he was now chasing through Riverdale. She kept running and laughing and he kept chasing after her, street after street. Betty disappeared around another corner and Jughead followed not long after, his breath visible in the frozen air. Once he turned the corner he stopped; Betty had disappeared. He looked around the empty street for the giggly blonde but he couldn’t see her anywhere and was just about to call her name when he felt something cold and wet on the back of his jacket. Sure enough, Betty was standing at the other end of the street, snowballs in hand.

“Watch out Betts. Remember you’re the one who hasn’t been in proper snow before!” He called out to her playfully as he crouched down to make his own snowballs. He managed to finish two before he felt another one of Betty’s hit him, this time on the back of his head. He stood up to retaliate, only to find the street empty again. 

“Hey Betts! I got a present for you!” He yelled out while walking towards where he’s last seen her. He heard a faint giggle from behind a large letter box and slowly walked around it before throwing both of his snowballs at her, hitting her shoulder both times.

“Juggie!” She squealed before hitting him with her last snowball. They both crouched down to make more, wide smiles on their faces and the sound of their laughter echoing around the street. Several minutes later they were both soaked. Jughead had one snowball left and Betty tried to run away, only to be stopped by his arms wrapping around her waist and picking her up. Jughead put the snowball down her jacket and she squirmed and giggled as the snow melted down her back.

“I warned you Betty Cooper.” Jughead set her down on the ground in front of him and brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear.

“That you did Jughead Jones.” Betty wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up at him for a second before pressing her lips to his. The kiss was slow but heated, soft but passionate all at the same time. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up, spinning her around as she giggled against his mouth. He put her down gently and pulled his lips away slowly. His eyes stayed closed as he leant his forehead against hers, trying to remember every second of this perfect moment. He opened his eyes slowly to see her looking up at him expectantly.

“Happy Birthday Betts.”

\--------------------

Eventually the smiling duo ended up at Sweetwater River. They held hands as the strolled along the snowy banks of the water before eventually stopping at a large rock. Jughead sat down on the edge, Betty sitting right next to him and leaning her head onto his shoulder.

“Is this where you wanted to take me?’ Betty asks without turning her head. Her voice is soft so as not to disturb their peaceful surroundings.

“Yeah. This is kind of my spot,” Jughead replied. He reached over and put an arm around her shoulder before leaning his head on top of hers. 

“It’s beautiful here, even with the snow. I don’t know why I haven’t come here before,” she wondered aloud. Jughead chuckled before replying.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed but Ron isn’t really a big fan of nature.” Betty chuckled as well at the thought of Ronnie voluntarily coming into the forest.

“Definitely. I can’t really see her in anything less than three inch heels, let alone sneakers. Plus there are way too many creepy crawlies for her liking.” They fell into a comfortable silence, watching the snow slowly float along in the half frozen river and listening to one another breathing. There weren’t any birds around but Betty could imagine the music they would make in warmer weather. Despite them both being soaked from head to toe after their snowball fight, neither of them felt the cold when they were wrapped up in each other’s arms. Betty was so caught up in the their surroundings that she didn’t notice Jughead slide his phone out of his pocket and take another photo. 

“Before I lived with Archie I used to come here a lot.” He barely broke their silence. His voice was so soft that Betty thought she’d imagined it. She shifted slightly to look up at his face once he moved his head off of hers. 

“Once my mum left with my sister, my dad used to come home drunk more and more often so I’d come and sit on this rock. I don’t know why it was here but it made me feel safe. Archie and I used to come here every day during the summer when we were kids to go swimming or fishing and I guess it just reminded me of when things were simple. When my family all lived under the same roof. When I didn’t have to worry about my dad’s drinking. When I was happy. I used to sit here and write. I wasn’t much good but it kept me distracted. Being able to come here and sit in the quiet was so … it was what kept me going. Once I moved in with Archie I kind of stopped coming. I still write but it’s not the same. I used to make up stories about princes and dragons and far away kingdoms.” He chuckles and a small smile plays on his lips as he remembers his own innocence. He’s still looking straight ahead, his gaze locked on the moving water of the river before them. 

“Now it’s darker, more realistic. I feel like my writing kind of shows how I’ve changed, you know? How I used to be this little kid with dreams and fantasies but now I’m this screwed up teenager with such a pessimistic outlook on life that I can’t even let myself be happy because I feel like it’ll just be taken away from me.” Betty reached up and held his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her.

“You deserve to be happy Jug. You deserve it more than anyone else that I’ve ever known. You’re kind and smart and so much more. No one should have to go through what you’ve been through but you did, and that sucks. But look at you now. You're not this scared little kid running away from your problems anymore. You’re so much more than that. I’m so grateful that you have come into my life and allowed me to see this side of you, the soft side that you choose to hide from the world. I know that you’ve been hurt by people you love, Juggie, but that doesn’t mean that everyone you love will hurt you. That just means that those people who hurt you are idiots because they didn’t realise what an incredible person you are.” His expression softened as he looked into her eyes and saw her determination, her pain, and her light that was purely Betty. 

He kissed her, hard. So hard that she fell onto her back on the rock, his body following hers. The kiss only lasted a few seconds but Betty swore she saw stars. Jughead pulled back first but kept his body hovering just above her. 

“Thank you Betty, for everything.” She placed a quick kiss on his lips before pushing him off her and sitting up.

“How about you shout milkshakes at Pop’s? It is my birthday after all.” Her green eyes now sparkled playfully, any hint of pain that she felt after their previous conversation had disappeared without a trace. 

“Anything for you Betts.” He helped her up and kept her hand held in his until they saw the familiar red glow of Pops through the blanket snow.

\--------------------

They got back to the Lodge's apartment at about 7pm, takeout from Pop’s was still warm in their frozen hands. They’d spent hour after hour sitting in their regular booth, laughing over milkshakes as their clothes dripped onto the red vinyl. The walk home had been quick, their clothes were still damp and the wind had picked up, chilling them to the bone. They tumbled through the door, a mess of laughter and melting snow.

“Happy birthday!” Archie and Ronnie sang out from the living room. Ronnie hurried up the couch and hugged Betty tightly, catching the blonde by surprise. Archie followed in a less urgent manner and gave Betts and awkward half nod instead of a hug. Betty returned it with a grin.

“Thanks guys. We brought Pop’s for dinner.” Jughead held up the bag before walking over to the living room to set it up. 

“I’m just gonna go and put on some dry clothes, be back in a minute,” Betty said over her shoulder as she walked out of the room. She returned minutes later in sweats and a t-shirt. “Ok, I’m all good. You guys ready t-”

“Surprise!” Her three friends yelled from where they stood in front of the coffee table. They stepped aside to let Betty see what was behind them. She gasped and her hands flew up to her face.

“Oh my god! Guys, this is so cool! Oh, you shouldn’t have.” On the table in front of her stood all of things to cure her homesickness; marmite, pineapple lumps, hokey pokey ice cream, ANZAC biscuits, the list goes on. Her friends stood in front of her with smiles on their faces but Jughead’s was by far the largest. Betty wrapped her arms around his neck and then jumped, wrapping her legs around his waist. He reached his hands up to her face and kissed her hard. Both of them were smiling widely, pulling away from each other only to be pulled straight back in. 

“Ok, ok. I get that you’re excited B but your room is literally right there.” Betty kissed Jughead once more before unwrapping her legs from his waist and standing next to him. 

“Very funny V. Thank you guys so much. This is honestly the best birthday ever.” She bounced over to Ronnie and hugged her tightly. “Thanks Ron. I know that Jughead didn’t do all of this by himself. You’re the best.”

“I know B. And honestly, don’t worry about it. You know I’d do anything for you.” The bubbly blonde let go and then walked over to Archie. They looked at each other for a second before Betty stood up on her tiptoes and hugged him briefly. 

“Thanks Arch,” she said quietly. He looked down at his feet before giving her a small smile.

“No problem Betty. I didn’t really do much, it was all these two really. I just helped carry stuff from the elevator.” 

“Well thanks anyway. Are you guys ready to watch a movie? I don’t know what to watch so you guys can pick if you want.” She was still bubbling with excitement and admiration for her amazing new friends.

\--------------------

The rest of the night was spent with good food and even better company. They ended up watching ‘Titanic’, much to Jughead and Archie’s disappointment. The girls shared a knowing look but kept quiet when they saw their boyfriends with wet cheeks after the movie. The pineapple lumps were finished as soon as Betty opened the packet but Archie didn’t quite understand how to eat marmite properly.

“No Archie! You need to put less on the piece of toast otherwise yes, it is disgusting.” They were all laughing at the strange faces that Archie was pulling. Jughead and Veronica were still refusing to eat the black spread which their kiwi friend was consuming at speed. 

“I don’t know how but your accent seems to get stronger when you're speaking this weird stuff you like to call food,” Jughead teased, receiving a playful punch on the arm from his girlfriend before she kissed him on the cheek.

“Haha, very funny. You wish that you could have this accent,” Betty retaliated, trying to play it cool. The squeal that left her lips gave her act away as Jughead pulled her onto his lap and peppered her neck with kisses. 

“I think that’s our queue Archiekins. Happy birthday B, don’t stay up too late,” she said with a wink as she dragged Archie towards the door. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll cover for you Jug. Happy birthday Betty,” Archie called over his shoulder before the door shut behind him.

“A whole apartment all to ourselves, Juggie. Whatever could we do?” Her tone was playful as she leaned back against him.

“Well, I still haven't given you your present yet. Do you want it or should I save it for the next cute blonde with a funny accent that waltzes into my life?” She kissed him softly in lieu of a response before hopping off his lap. Jughead took her hand and led her down the hall to her bedroom. 

\--------------------

The parcel and the flowers were still sitting on the dresser where he’d left them that morning. Betty went and sat in the middle of her bed, legs crossed and hugging one of the fluffy pillows she'd grabbed from the mountain beside her. He walked across the room and sat down facing her, shoes hanging off the edge of the bed. 

“Happy birthday Betts,” Jughead whispered as he handed his gifts to girlfriend. She kissed his cheek before looking down at the present in his hand. Betty unwrapped the paper carefully, finding a piece of paper folded up inside. She started to unfold the paper but stopped when she felt Jughead's hand on her wrist.

"Not yet, ok? I don't really want to be here when you read it." He gave her a shy smile before looking down at the bed and picking at a non-existent thread. She placed the note carefully beside her and then cupped his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her for the second time today.

“Thank you, Juggie," she said softly. Their eyes met for a brief moment before his lips were on hers. This kiss was different from all of the others that they had shared. It was soft but needy, saying all of the words they couldn't yet. Jughead pulled back slowly, leaning against her forehead.

“I wouldn’t thank me yet, you haven’t even opened it,” he said jokingly, but Betty could see the uncertainty in his dark eyes. 

“Thank you, Juggie,” she repeated. “Thank you for a birthday I will never forget.” Betty kissed him once more before falling back onto the bed and pulling the covers up around her. She was still holding his hand as he carefully removed his shoes and jacket before slipping in beside her. She fell asleep with Jughead stroking her hair and a smile on her lips as she remembers her perfect day.

\--------------------

Betty woke up the next morning to an empty bed. She rolled over in search of Jughead but only found a piece of paper in his place. 

_Had to go and meet Fred. Sorry I couldn’t wait for you to wake up. Pop’s for milkshakes later?_

She smiled as she read his messy writing. Betty sat up and picked her birthday present from Jughead off the floor before sitting back down on the edge of her bed. By the time she reached the end of the letter, her eyes were filled with tears. She read the letter four more times before grabbing her phone off the charger and texting her boyfriend three little words.


	4. The School Dance

As soon as Fred let him take a break from lifting rocks, Jughead all but ran into the break room to grab his phone and text his doe-eyed girlfriend an apology for disappearing so early that morning. He’d wanted to wake her up to say goodbye but he just couldn't. She’d looked so peaceful, such a contrast to how he’d found her the morning before. A small smile played on her lips and Jughead found himself wondering what dreams were gracing her with their presence at that time of the morning. He’d pushed a stray strand of her golden hair behind her ear before kissing her gently on the forehead, lips soft so as not to pull her away from her dreams. He had left her a note, explaining his mysterious absence, but he still felt bad. In true Betty fashion, she’d been the one to text him first.

_Thank you Jug_

His whole being seemed brighter with his goofy smile. She’d read his letter. 

\--------------------

The Saturday after Betty’s birthday, Betty and Jughead were sitting on an armchair in the Lodge’s library. The blonde was sitting on her boyfriend’s lap as his voice filled the cozy room. His arms were wrapped around her as he held the book in front of them, reading aloud from the ink covered pages as Betty played with the hair that had fallen from his beanie. They stayed that way for a long time, barely moving until they were interrupted in the middle of the afternoon by the sound of a phone ringing. Betty pulled hers out of her pocket and answered the call before she realised who it was.

“Elizabeth! Nice of you to finally pick up.” The harsh sound of her mother’s voice pulled Betty out of the dream-like state that Jughead’s voice had lulled her into.

“Mum. I wasn’t expecting you to call. Is everything alright?” Betty sounded slightly concerned as she tried to move off of Jughead’s lap before her mother could see him.

“Everything is fine Elizabeth, why wouldn’t it be? I was just wondering what your plans are for this weekend. Hermione emailed me that there was some sort of school dance you were hoping to attend?” Alice’s eyebrows raised in question. Betty let out the breath she was holding when her mum didn’t ask who she was with.

“Yes, Mum. I’m going with Ju-, I’m going with some friends.” She wasn’t technically lying since she was going to the dance with Ronnie and Archie as well. She didn’t want to tell her mother about Jughead because she knew exactly how she would react. She would start by talking about how disappointed she was in her youngest daughter, say something about how Betty was going to end up like Polly (not that Betty saw this as a bad thing), rant about how she was letting herself get distracted at such an important time of her life, and then threaten to get her sent back to New Zealand. Betty had heard this speech countless times; whenever she got a mark less than an excellence or was too busy to fulfill all of her commitments, her mother would bring out the speech. Betty would sit there quietly, pushing her nails into her palm to prevent her from yelling at her mother and making the situation worse. She didn’t want to have to deal with that over Skype, thousands of kilometers away from her sister, the only one who could make her feel better. Betty ignored the quizzical look that Jughead was giving her in favour of looking down at the rich carpet under her feet.

“Well be careful, Elizabeth. I don’t want you out too late, you know how difficult it is to hide the bags under your eyes when you don’t get your eight hours.” Betty tried not to roll her eyes at her mother’s comment. Jughead observed the conversation from the chair, not having moved since Betty left his lap minutes ago. Betty had told him that her mother was a bit overbearing at times but he found himself oddly jealous. Here she was, on the other side of the world from her parents but they still made an effort to worry about her well-being. Sure, they may have gone slightly overboard but he would take more over less anyday. His dad lived in the same town as him but Jughead couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a conversation with him, much less been asked about his sleep patterns. Jughead stood up out of the chair and mimed to Betty that he was going to grab a drink of water as her mother babbled on about a new diet she had been researching.

“Is there someone there with you Elizabeth?” Betty’s eyes widened in shock as Jughead froze mid stride.

“Umm, yeah, mum. This is my um, this is my friend Jughead.”

“Hi Mrs. Cooper. It’s nice to meet you.” Jughead tried to put on his most charming smile as he walked over to Betty so he could be seen on the tiny screen. Betty could hear the discomfort in his voice and placed a hand on his back, moving it in small circles.

“Jug Head? That’s an … interesting name. Are you going to be taking Betty to the school dance this weekend?” Alice asked, as if this was a normal thing to bring up in conversation.

“Yes Mrs. Cooper. Well, Veronica, Archie, Betty and I are all going together,” replied Jughead, remembering Betty’s earlier response. His girlfriend sent him a grateful smile as she continued to rub his back. He placed him hand on her arm and squeezed gently, carefully checking that his hand wasn't to Alice.

“Elizabeth, you never told me you were going with boys. I’m not sure how I feel about this, maybe you should stay at home and work on that science project you told me you were struggling with?” Jughead had to fight back a laugh. Betty struggling with a project? Not only was that idea absurd, he happened to know that she’d finished that project a week ago, the day after it was assigned. He kept his mouth shut but made a mental note to ask her about her it later.

“Mum, really it’s fine. Archie is going out with V so there’s going to be absolutely no problem there and Jughead and I are … we’re just friends. I’m sure he’ll be the perfect gentlemen. “ She looked over at her boyfriend and had to refrain from kissing the shy smile right off his face.

“Yes, I’m sure he will be Elizabeth but you know how I feel about dances, especially after what happened to Polly.” Jughead noticed Betty’s hand tighten around the phone, knuckles turning white. He squeezed her arm again and she relaxed slightly. Jughead could tell that Betty was on edge and he wanted to comfort her, but he also didn’t want to get on Alice's bad side. He found her intimidating enough as it is and he was pretty sure she was trying to be polite.

“It’ll be fine Mum. Besides, you wanted me to get the full American high school experience and this dance is just a part of that. I promise not to stay out late. I won’t drink or do drugs or whatever other wild things you seem to think happen at school dances. I’m going to this dance mother, with or without your permission.” Betty’s voice had started out a bit shaky after the mention of her sister but by the end of it, Alice’s mouth was open in shock.

"Elizabeth Cooper, that is no way to talk to your mother. You’re getting more and more like Po-”

“Gotta go mum, bye!” Betty said quickly while clicking the small red button. She let out a huge sigh before wrapping her arms around Jughead and hugging him tightly. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” she whispered into his chest. Jughead wrapped his arm around his girlfriend, noting how small and tired she looked, a complete contrast to how she’d looked while he was reading. He scooped her up in his arms.

“Do you want me to keep reading?” he asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the tired atmosphere that had crept into the large room. She nodded in response as he walked over to the chair and settling them into their previous position.

\--------------------

“B, you know I love you, but there is no way you’re wearing that to a school dance. Or anywhere. Ever.” Ronnie pulled the grey dress from Betty’s arms and threw it swiftly into the bin.

“I know but I wasn’t exactly thinking about school dances when I was packing my suitcase so now I have nothing to wear,” Betty groaned as she flopped onto her bed dramatically.

“You must have forgotten who you’re talking B. It’s lucky we’re almost the same size.” Betty opened her mouth to protest but her host sister was already out of the room. Veronica returned moments later, arms piled high with dresses of all shapes and colours. She couldn’t help herself, the blonde reached out a hand to touch the mountain of fabric.

“Oh my goodness, these are gorgeous V! I love them all. But, knowing you, you’ve probably already picked one out for me,” she chuckled. Ronnie reached for a silvery blue dress that was hidden in the middle of the pile.

“Of course, I saw this in my wardrobe and instantly thought of you. Go try it on, I’ll wait here.” She took the dress from Ronnie’s grasp and walked into the bathroom. The fabric was soft under her fingers and seemed to sparkle under the fluorescent lights. She slipped it on before walking back into her room.

“Hey V can you help zi-” she didn’t even get the chance to finish her sentence before Veronica had jumped up from her spot on the bed.

“Oh my god! B! That dress looks like it was made for you. Jughead is going to have a heart attack when he sees you,” Ronnie gushed as she pulled the zip up Betty’s back, simultaneously closing the dress and pushing her over towards the mirror. Betty gasped. She looked … elegant, sophisticated. She looked different. But she liked it.

\--------------------

On Saturday, Betty felt like a queen. She’d been to dances before but it had never felt like such a big deal. Various people were coming in and out of the apartment to help the girls get ready. Hermione was even present for a while to get her nails done for an event she was going to that night. Many hours later, the doorbell rang. Hermione floated over and opened the door.

“Hello boys, looking very handsome tonight,” she commented, stepping aside to allow the boys into the apartment.

“Thanks Mrs. Lodge. Are the girls ready?” Archie asked politely.

“They should be out in a minute. Now, Hiram and I are flying to New York for an event tonight so we won’t be back until tomorrow afternoon. I’ll be checking in with Veronica though and I expect her and Betty to be home at midnight, alright? Have a good night.” And with that she was gone, leaving the boys all alone in the large apartment, waiting for their girlfriends.

\--------------------

“I’m pretty sure I just heard the door.”

“It’ll just be the boys, Betty. Nobody ever got hurt from a little bit of suspense,” Ronnie smirked before fixing up her lipstick. While Veronica looked like the definition of confidence, Betty couldn’t sit still. Her knee was bouncing up and down impatiently while her long nails kept running through the ends of her wavy hair.

“Ok, perfect,” Ronnie said to her reflection. “You ready to knock ‘em dead?” She raised a perfect eyebrow after turning around to face the nervous blonde. “B, breathe. You look incredible and if Jughead’s jaw isn’t on the floor when he sees you I will personally kick his ass.” Betty smiled slightly at the thought of her host sister kicking anyone’s ass let alone Jughead’s. She stood up from the bed and followed Veronica into the living room.

\--------------------

The boys stood up off the couch at the sound of two sets of heels walking down the long hallway. The girls burst through the door in a fit of laughter, heads thrown back carelessly as if they were unaware that they had company. Ronnie strutted over to Archie, greeting him with a kiss and a flashy smile, wrapping her arms around his neck. Betty was stuck in the doorway. Her feet wouldn’t move. Jughead was breathtaking. His beanie was nowhere to be found and his dark hair hung messily around his face. His tie was made of the same silvery blue material of her dress but his smile was what really stopped her in her tracks. It was shy and sweet and so perfectly Jughead.

He’d noticed that she wasn’t moving but he couldn’t either. She always looked beautiful but tonight was something different. Her hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders and her eyes looked more lighter than normal. She moved towards him and Jughead could have sworn she was walking in slow motion. When Betty finally reached him she kissed him softly on the cheek.

“Hi Juggie. You look really good,” she whispered in his ear, arms around his neck.

“You look gorgeous Betts,” he whispered back, feeling the heat of her blush against his cheek. Once again, Veronica’s voice interrupted them.

“Ok ok, we get it, you both look amazing but we need to go, Smithers is late,” she stated, turning on her heel and walking out the door.

\--------------------

Even though she knew that this was the same gym she had P.E in every day, Betty couldn’t help but feel like she’d walked onto a movie set. She’d helped organise dances for her school in New Zealand but they were never anything like this. Fairy lights were draped along the walls and the hung from the ceiling, making the gym feel soft and cozy. White flowers sat in the middle of the elegant tables as fake snow floated around the room. Jughead watched Betty’s awe with a smile on his face, her childish reaction reminding him of their snowball fight the week before.

“Do they always look like this?” Betty asked as she continued to look around the room.

“I wouldn’t know. I’ve never actually been to a school dance before,” Jughead answered with a shrug. “But Cheryl is always in charge of decorations so probably. She’s a bit of a perfectionist so everything she does is above and beyond.” He squeezed her hand and sent her a small smile.

“Well I think it looks incredible. School dances in New Zealand are a bit more about how many guys you can get with and who can sneak in the most alcohol. They definitely don’t look like this,” she giggled, still taking in her surroundings.

“Just because we’ve got fake snow doesn’t mean that people aren’t trying to get drunk,” Jughead smirked.

“Of course, silly me. Guess we won’t be drinking the punch then,” she said in mock disappointment.

“Haha, we’re not that cliche. Do you want to go and find Ron and Arch and grab a seat? I don’t really know what we're supposed to do at these things.” A shy blush reddened his cheek. Betty reached over and grabbed his other hand, forcing him to face her.

“Juggie, I don’t care that you’ve never been to a school dance before, although I don’t understand why if they all look like this,” she jokes. “Just try to relax and have fun, ok?” His small smile answers her question as she lets go of one of his hands, using the other to drag him over to where Ronnie and Arch were jumping up and down in the middle of the gym.

“I think I see a spare table over there, want me to take your scarf?” Jughead yelled to be heard over the music. Betty nodded and passed him her scarf, wishing that he would stay and dance but understanding that this wasn’t really his scene. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before disappearing into the crowd of writhing bodies.

\--------------------

Jughead had figured he would stay at the table for the rest of the night under the guise of watching his friend’s coats but once he’d walked over to the table, the only thing he wanted to do was go and be with Betty. She looked so beautiful tonight and he didn’t want to be away from her for another second. He spotted the metallic fabric of her dress shining from the middle of the crowd, making her look like a real life snowflake among the fairy lights and the snow. He made his way through the mess of bodies singing Wham! off key.

 _Wake me up before you go-go_  
_Don’t you dare to leave me hangin’ on like a yo-yo_

The raven haired boy rolled his eyes and cringed simultaneously. Of course they’re playing this at a school dance. They couldn’t possibly play music that people can listen to without having to worry about their ear drums bursting. As he was pushing through the sea of limbs, the screeching faded out, replaced by a slower melody which didn’t leave Jughead wanting to stab himself repeatedly.

 _You’re the Northern wind_  
_Sending shivers down my spine_  
_You’re like fallen leaves_  
_In an autumn night_

His eyes locked with Betty’s and he was frozen for the second time that night. Jughead swore she was even more breathtaking than she had been when he saw her five minutes ago. She was the first one to move, again, gliding towards him without breaking eye contact. Betty reached her boyfriend after what felt like a lifetime, stopping only inches away from him.

“May I have this dance?” Jughead questioned with a small bow, bringing his face right in front of hers, allowing Betty to get lost in his piercing blue eyes.

“I guess you may,” she giggled into a slow curtsy before standing up and wrapping her arms around his neck. He placed his hands gently on her hips, pulling her flush against him. They swayed back and forth in time to the ballad, eyes saying all of the words they couldn’t.

 _You’re the lullaby_  
_That’s singing me to sleep_  
_You are the other half_  
_You’re like a missing piece_

Betty let out a small sigh, causing Jughead to pull away slightly to look down at her.

“Everything alright Betts?” Jughead’s voice was laced with worry, his brow furrowing.

“Never been better,” she replied with a smile, pulling herself back towards her boyfriend before standing up on her toes to place a soft kiss on his lips.

Fireworks. As cliche as it sounds, that’s the only word that seems to come close to describing how Jughead felt when Betty kissed him. His hands moved from her waist to cup her face before he could give a second thought to where they are. Her fingers started to play with the curly hairs at the nape of his neck as her smile grew wider against his lips. Betty had only kissed a couple of boys before but none of them had ever made her feel like this. Her knees were going weak with pleasure as he deepened the kiss further, his thumb slowly rubbing along her cheekbone before running through her hair.

 _Oh my love_  
_You don’t know_  
_What you do to me_

Someone bumped into Betty’s back, forcing her to jump away from Jughead in shock. She blinked a few times, eyes wide, almost as if she was waking up from a dream. Jughead’s face was still warped into a warm smile at the sight of her like this; hair tousled from his touch, lipstick smudged from his lips, and eyes dark with desire. She looked different, sexy.

“After that I don’t know why I haven’t come to more school dances,” he smirked, earning him a playful punch on the arm. He rubbed at it with a fake frown on his face, playing along with Betty’s games.

“Trust me, it’s not always like that,” her voice dripping with desire as she stepped back into her boyfriend's arms, returning to their position around his neck in an attempt to continue dancing.

 _You are all four seasons_  
_Rolled into one_  
_You're like the cold December snow_  
_In the warm July sun_

“You really are something else Betts, you know that?” Jughead whispered as they continued swaying to the beat. Betty let her head rest on his chest, smiling as she remembered the first time he said those words to her. It felt like yesterday and a lifetime ago all at the same time. So much had changed in such a short amount of time but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“You wanna get out of here Juggie?” Betty asked, lifting her head from his chest to meet his eyes.

“There’s nothing I’d like more,” he grinned as he reached for her hand, slowly pulling her toward the open door.

 _Oh my love_  
_You don’t know_  
_What you do to me_

\--------------------

The bell over the door rang softly throughout the diner, signalling the arrival of two new customers. Veronica and Archie slid into their usual booth across from their friends, empty milkshake glasses and burger wrappers littered the plastic table.

“What caused you two lovebirds to leave so early?” Ronnie asked, eyebrows raised as she stole a fry from the basket in front of Betty.

“We just weren’t really in the mood,” the blonde replied nonchalantly, flashing a knowing grin at Jughead.

“Fine, don’t tell me,” Veronica said dramatically. “We’ll have girl talk later B.” Betty’s cheeks flushed a deep shade of red at what her host sister was inferring.

“Any chance you guys are in the mood for a movie?” Questioned Archie, changing the subject and causing Betty to send him a grateful look.

“Do you even need to ask?” Jughead replied, already standing up to help Betty climb out of the vinyl booth.

\--------------------

Ronnie ended up choosing ‘The Notebook’ as the movie of the night, then falling asleep ten minutes in.

“Not only is she punishing us by making us watch this overworked cliche, she doesn’t even have enough decency to stay awake and listen to me complaining,” Jughead mumbled into Betty’s ear from where he was sitting beside her.

“I’m going to let Ronnie sleep in my bed because she’ll probably kill me if I let her sleep on the couch. Don’t stay up too late Jug,” Archie called out as he started carrying his girlfriend up the stairs.

“Oh how the tables turn,” Jughead quipped, his redheaded friend laughing as he walked out of view. “So Betts,” his grin widening, “whaddya wanna watch?” He changed his voice into the awful accent Betty had only had the displeasure of hearing once before. She cringed before replying.

“Really Jug? All of this time hanging out with me and you’re still doing that awful semi-Australian accent. Guess we’ll just have to talk more,” Betty said in mock disappointment as she snuggled into Jughead’s side.

“Or we could do some not talking,” he suggested playfully, leaning down to plant soft kisses on her neck.

“Jug! Stop! That tickles!” She squealed, squirming under his mouth. His eyes twinkled as his long fingers danced across her sides, leaving her giggling and breathless under him. She quickly pressed her lips to his, surprising him into stilling his fingers. She pushed him off her and kissed him again, this time lingering long enough to take in the sweet smell that could only be described as purely Jughead. “You want to keep watching this? I can’t be bothered moving,” Betty confessed, eyes already trained on the screen.

“Anything for you Betts,” Jughead whispered into her hair before leaving a soft kiss on the top of her head. “Only for you.”

The last thing she remembers seeing is Noah and Ally rowing in the rain, before closing her eyes and eventually feeling heavy tears falling into her hair, something Jughead would deny the next day but she knew she wasn't dreaming, yet.

\--------------------

Fred Andrews lumbered down the stairs early the next morning, far too early to be walking around without caffeine in his system. He’d done this so many times that he stumbled through the living room with his eyes closed, reaching the kitchen and blindly reaching for the on switch on the coffee machine. The beverage was eventually hot and Fred poured half of the jug into his mug, taking a giant gulp before finally opening his eyes and plodding back into the living room to watch the news before he had to head off to the construction site.

He stopped in the doorway before rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn’t still asleep. There on the couch lay Betty and Jughead, sound asleep and wrapped up in each other’s arms, both still wearing their clothes from last night. Fred rolled his eyes before turning on the TV at full volume. Betty jumped up at the noise, bumping her head on Jughead’s chin. His eyes eyes opened slowly until he saw Fred standing over them. Betty was already sitting up, hands smoothing the front of her dress and trying to discreetly tame her hair.

“Morning guys. How was the dance?” Fred asked the pair nonchalantly, taking another gulp of coffee from the steaming mug in his hand.

“It was um, it was good thanks.” Jughead said nervously, running a hand through his hair and wishing he was wearing his beanie. “Hey, um look, Fred, about all this-”

“Jug, calm down. I’m not gonna ground you or anything but just be careful ok? Don’t rush into anything you’re not ready for.” Betty’s face had turned the colour of Archie’s hair and Jughead was shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “Anyways, by the looks of you two that was punishment enough so I’m just gonna head off to work. Oh, and we’re out of milk.” Fred left his empty coffee mug on the coffee table and was grabbing his coat as the door opened slowly. Archie stepped through it, closing it softly to reduce the sound of the lock closing. He tiptoed towards the stairs as his dad turned the corner, slamming right into him. “Oh hey Dad, um, I was just, um, at the store, ah, getting some milk for breakfast.”

Jughead chuckled from his spot on the couch, noting how stupid Archie’s lie was considering it was five in the morning and he was still wearing his tuxedo from the night before. Fred obviously noted his son’s attire, and his lack of milk, before letting out a huge sigh and walking out the door. Archie looked at the giggling pair on the couch.

“What?”


	5. The Text

December came around quickly, filled with various tests and projects as the teachers began to realise that Christmas holidays were just around the corner. Lunchtimes were spent studying in the library and afternoons at Pop’s always ended with paper scattered all over the surface of the table. Date nights were few and far between for Betty and Jughead, both of them too exhausted to do much more than snuggle up and watch a movie. Even then, the bright light of the screen was never enough to keep them awake, both of them falling asleep on top of each other.

One snowy lunchtime, the two of them were hidden in the back corner of the school library, Archie and Ronnie having been called away to yet another practice of some sort. Jughead had his laptop out on the table in front of him. His fingers were steadily tapping on the keyboard, creating the only sound that filled the otherwise silent room. He was sitting with one leg folded at the knee, the other lying across Betty’s lap. She had one hand resting on his shin, her thumb drawing small circles on his calf. The blonde’s other hand was holding a freshly sharpened pencil, the eraser idly rolling across her cheek as she stared at the blank page, lost in thought. The soft ding of Jughead’s phone bought Betty out of her reverie. The librarian shot them a stern look as Jughead fished his phone out of his pocket. Betty rolled her eyes at her before turning back to face her boyfriend.

The colour drained from Jughead’s face as he read the message on the tiny screen in his hands. Betty gently squeezed his calf, forcing him to look at her. The question was clear in her eyes and her broke her gaze before she could vocalise what she was thinking.

“I, uh, I gotta go Betts,” Jughead stammered as he hastily shoved his laptop into his bag. “I promise I’m fine, don’t worry about me, ok?” He stood up so quickly that Betty was scared that his chair was going to fall over. Jughead looked at her gently, his hand resting on her cheek before he kissed her softly on the forehead. Before Betty had a chance to reply, Jughead had rushed through the library door and out of sight.

\--------------------

Archie, Ronnie, and Betty were sitting in their usual booth at Pop’s later that afternoon. Ronnie was rambling on animatedly about some poor girl that Cheryl had decided to pick on during cheer practice, Archie’s arm wrapped securely around her shoulder. Betty was fiddling with the straw of her vanilla milkshake, glancing down at her phone every few seconds and paying no attention to the raven haired girl’s story.

“Earth to B, everything ok?” Ronnie asked, interrupting her own story and bringing the blonde back to the conversation.

“Huh? Oh, um, yeah, everything’s fine V,” Betty replied, her voice distant. She leaned forward to take a sip of her milkshake, avoiding Veronica’s gaze.

“B, come on. What’s the matter? And where’s Jughead? Did you guys have a fight or something?”

“What? No, nothing like that,” Betty responded, wiping a stray drop of her drink from her lip with the back of her hand. “It’s just … today at lunch he got a text and then he was acting really strange and he left really quickly. He told me not to worry about him but I am, worried about him I mean. I don’t really know what to do,” she muttered, more to herself than her friends sitting across from her. Archie had suddenly gone very still but Betty was too busy trying not to drive her nails into her palms to notice.

“You’re allowed to be worried B, he is your boyfriend after all. Just send him a text or something to check in. If he doesn’t reply soon, we can go back home and eat our weight in chocolate to take your mind off it, ok?” Betty laughed half-heartedly at Ronnie’s suggestion, already reaching for her phone.

_Hey Juggie, I know you said not to worry but I am. Hope you’re ok._

Betty felt slightly better as her friend continued telling her story. She felt her heart skip a beat when her phone buzzed, alerting her of a new message.

_I’m fine Betts, something just came up with my Dad. Rain check for that movie tonight? I’ll see you at school tomorrow._

Her fingers curled into themselves as her mind started to run over all of the possible scenarios. Jughead had told her that his dad has a drinking problem but she’d never really thought about where he lived or what he did for a living, if he even had a job. Betty felt a small hand placed softly on her back, jumping at the sudden contact.

“Was that Jug?” Veronica asked quietly as she slipped into the booth next to her friend. Betty gave a small nod, eyes still trained on her fists. “What did he say?”

“He said that something happened with his dad," Betty whispered. “Do you think it’s bad?” She looked up at Archie, her emerald eyes filled with worry, hoping that someone would give her a scenario nicer than what she was imagining in her head.

“I don’t know Betty. His dad isn’t the most stable person. This wouldn’t be the first time Jug has had to go and clean up his dad’s mess. Maybe you should go over there and make sure he’s ok. He tends to push people away when it comes to this sort of stuff but I know he would feel better if you were there. I can drive you if you want?” Archie suggested. Betty looked down at her hands, mentally weighing her options, before nodding at Archie and grabbing her coat.

\--------------------

Betty had never been to the south side of Riverdale before. She felt like Archie had taken a wrong turn and driven off to another town because this didn’t feel like a part of the place she had started to call home after the last few months. The houses looked tired and dirty against the pure white which still blanketed the ground. Half broken toys and rusty swing sets lay abandoned in front yards. The few people that were in the street seemed smaller, sadder somehow. Archie turned off the main road into a trailer park a short while later. Betty almost let out a laugh at the name of the park; Sunnyside, as if there was anything sunny about this place. The trailers were in a similar condition to the houses they had driven past earlier and seemed like the kind of place where happiness and sunshine go to die. Archie stopped out a nondescript trailer, looking over at Betty.

“Do you want me to wait here or come in with you?” He asked softly, as though his words might cause her to crumble into a thousand pieces. She gave a slight shake of her head before looking up at the boy sitting next to her.

“Thank you Archie. I’ll call you if I need anything.” She sat very still for a moment before quickly opening the door and jumping out of the car, as if she wanted to stop herself from changing her mind. Betty sent Archie a final small smile before walking slowly up the tiny stairs and knocking on the door. She heard someone sigh and then some shuffling inside the trailer before Jughead opened the door.

“Betty,” Jughead said, the surprise clear in his voice. “What are you doing here? I thought I was seeing you tomorrow at school.” Jughead looked behind him and then relaxed his shoulders, almost as if he was glad that she couldn’t see properly inside.

“I’m sorry Jug. I was really worried and then I was with Archie and V when I got your text and they said that I should come and make sure that you’re ok but you said not to worry about you so I should have just stayed a-”

“Betts!” Jughead put his hands on her shoulders to stop her rambling. “It’s ok that you’re here. I guess this is something that you were going to find out about anyway so better late than never, right?” He seemed to be asking himself more than Betty so she gave him a small smile then leaned up onto her toes, kissing the tip of his nose.

“Can we go inside? It’s kind of cold,” she asked, looking up at him through her dark lashes.

“Of course Betts,” Jughead chuckled. “Just, try not to be too shocked, ok? It’s not really something I’m too proud of,” he said whilst moving to stand next to her, slipping his hand from her shoulder to rest across her waist as he led her inside.

\--------------------

Thankfully, the inside of the trailer didn’t reveal any of the horrors that Betty had been imagining. Beer bottles, food wrappers, and dirty clothes covered most of the surfaces inside the main room. The air smelt like stale chips and alcohol and the floor felt like it was sticking to the bottom of her sneakers. A small lamp had been smashed on the floor in the kitchen, shards of ceramic spread throughout the mess. An older man was lying on the yellow couch, shoes still on and a half empty whiskey bottle on the floor next to him.

“What happened?” Betty asked softly, placing a hand on Jughead’s arm.

“Apparently my mum is getting married.” Jughead revealed, his eyes slightly glazed over as if he hadn’t fully processed what he was saying. “She called my dad up this morning to tell him and he, well he flipped. He’s been sober for the last couple of months but something inside him just snapped when he heard. I think that he believed that if he got his act together, Mum and Jellybean would move back.” His voice was barely a whisper by the time he’d finished talking, still staring straight ahead. Betty wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled her head into his chest, trying to say all of the things she couldn’t find the words for. He returned the gesture half heartedly, pulling away too soon.

“Can I help you with anything?” She was still clinging onto him, refusing to let go until absolutely necessary.

“Do you wanna help me tidy up? It’s kinda gross in here in case you didn’t notice,” he chuckled again. Betty got the hint and slowly unwrapped her arms from around his torso, placing a kiss on his cheek before bouncing over to the counter where she saw some rubbish bags. She really didn’t feel like being cheerful or bouncy but she figured Jug needed something that wasn’t all doom and gloom at the moment. She tossed a rubbish bag to him and started cleaning up the lamp, figuring that was the best place to start. They worked in silence for about an hour, occasionally exchanging smiles when they caught each other’s gaze but mostly just letting themselves get lost in their own thoughts.

Betty finished wiping down the counter, rinsing out the sponge before looking around her. They’d managed to clean up all of the mess Jughead’s dad had made, the only evidence that it ever existed were the large black bags positioned by the door. Jughead came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, placing a kiss on her shoulder.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered in her ear. She turned around and flung her arms over his shoulders, bringing him in for a slow kiss. They pulled away gradually, resting their foreheads together.

“I’m glad that you let me stay,” she replied, mimicking his tone. They stayed like that for a long time, blue eyes locked on green, their breath mingling together and forming icy clouds in the cold air of the trailer. They eventually pulled apart when they heard Jughead’s dad stirring on the couch. He sat up groggily and stumbled towards the kitchen, holding his head.

“Dad, this is Betty. Betty, my dad,” Jughead said, seeing the look of confusion on his father’s face at the sight of him standing in the kitchen with a girl.

“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Jones,” Betty said politely, holding out her hand. FP continued to look confused but shook her hand anyway, giving the pretty blonde a bewildered smile.

“Nice to meet you too Betty, although you do have the misfortune of catching me on one of my off days,” FP quipped before turning to his son. “You never told me you had a girl Jug,” he stated, eyebrows raised in question.

“You never asked,” Jughead said coldly, arms crossed over his chest as he stared his father down. The silence was deafening and the mood had become as cold and uncomfortable as the air in the trailer, causing Betty to shiver slightly.

“Anyone hungry? I think we have enough ingredients to make soup,” Betty suggested, bringing out her inner Alice Cooper who always acted like the ultimate hostess, even in someone else’s home.

“That sounds great Betts, I can help.” Jughead slipped an arm around her waist, answering her question with a half-smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes.

“I think I’ll go and take a shower, wake up a bit,” FP said before retreating into the bathroom. Jughead let out a large sigh before bringing his hands up to rub his temples. Betty had never seen him like this and didn’t really know how to react. He didn’t seem to want to talk so she let him be and started preparing the soup.

\--------------------

Half an hour later, FP stumbled out of the bathroom and into the small kitchen, falling into one of the rickety chairs at the dining table. Betty’s soup smelled amazing and was doing a lot more to wake him up than his shower had. Betty realised that he’d walked into the small room and flashed him a signature Cooper smile. FP noticed that he couldn’t help but feel slightly happy around the peppy blonde. He wondered how she’d ended up with his son, Riverdale’s very own definition of dark and brooding. Judging from the look on Jughead’s face as he set the table, FP’s questions were better left for another day.

Betty stirred the soup one last time before turning off the stove and carrying it over to the table. She carefully filled the three bowls evenly with the warm soup before sitting down herself.

“Dig in,” she announced, raising her spoon.

“Thanks for this Betty. It’s been a while since I’ve had a home cooked meal,” FP stated before swallowing a loaded spoonful. Betty flashed him another Cooper smile in lieu of a response. The rest of the meal was filled with comfortable small talk, no mention of the events which had occurred earlier in the day. Betty found out that Jughead’s metabolism had been inherited from his father when both boys had finished their second helping of soup before Betty had finished her first. FP asked about New Zealand and cracked jokes, no sign of the broken man Jughead had found wasting away that afternoon. Once the saucepan was emptied, FP retreated to his room to sleep off the rest of his hangover, leaving Betty and Jughead alone with the dishes. They washed and scrubbed and dried in a comfortable silence, no contact between the two except for the occasional bumping of hips as they tried to move around the small space.

“Are you staying here tonight,” Betty asked casually once the sink was drained and the dishes had all been put away.

“Yeah, it’s snowing quite hard and I don’t really want to drag Arch out here at this time of night. Fred’s probably asleep already.” Jughead replied, leaning against the counter.

“Oh, ok. I’ll call V and see if Smithers can come and get me. Hermione and Hiram are out again tonight.” She reached into her pocket to grab her phone out, only to be stopped by Jughead’s hand on her wrist.

“Or you could stay here,” he suggested shyly, moving across the small space to stand in front of her.

“Ok,” she answered, eyes looking up to meet his. He turned around, still holding her wrist, and led her into his childhood room.

\--------------------

Movie posters hung on the walls and comic book figurines were scattered across the surface of his dresser. A large stack of books were lined up in the corner and an old pair of sneakers lay abandoned beside them. Jughead rummaged around in his drawers before offering her some flannel pyjama pants and one of his t-shirts. She accepted them with a grateful smile before walking to the bathroom to get changed. Jughead was in an almost identical outfit when she returned, a small giggle slipping from her lips at the sight.

Truth be told, Betty was nervous. This was the first time that she was going to sleep in the same bed as Jughead and actually be aware of what was going on. The last two times they’d just happened to fall asleep in the same place. This felt different, important. He pulled the covers back and lay down on his small bed, moving over against the wall to make room for her. She lay down on her side facing him, reaching forward to push his hair out of his face.

“Hey,” she whispered. A soft smile filled his face.

“Hey,” he whispered back.

“Is everything ok?” Betty asked, her fingers still playing with his hair. He closed his eyes at the feeling, wanting to pause this exact moment and live in it for eternity. Unfortunately, time marches on.

“I’m just worried about my dad,” Jughead confessed, fighting against the urge to look away, to push himself away from this incredible girl that was lying next to him. She moved his hand out of his hair, cupping his face and running her thumb over his soft lips. “I really want him to get better. Not just for Mum and Jellybean. I want him to get better for him. I want him to get a job and be able to live her on his own without me having to ask his neighbour to come and check on him to make sure his isn’t drowning himself in a bottle. I just ... I just want to be a normal teenager.” Betty’s thumb had moved from his lips back to his cheek as she brushed away the tears that had started to spill down his face. His eyes closed in an effort to stop them but was met with little success. When he opened them she was still looking back at him, her eyes still so full of care and trust. He closed his eyes once more, trying to memorise the way her thumb felt against his cheek.

“There’s something else,” she said simply. He took a deep breath before replying, his eyes still closed.

“I don’t want to end up like my dad,” he whispered so quietly she swore she imagined it. He opened his eyes and saw tears now starting to run down her cheeks. He reached his hand out and mimicked her actions. She stayed quiet for a long time, their steady breathing the only sound in the dark room.

“We are not our parents, Jug. We can’t be,” she stated which such conviction that Jughead almost believed her. “We can’t be,” she repeated, her voice sounding smaller this time, almost broken. The seconds lingered, making minutes seem like hours. All that they knew was that they stayed like that until they ran out of tears, Betty’s words playing over and over in their heads like a mantra until it lulled them both into a dreamless sleep.


	6. The Big City

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry that there was a bit of a delay with this chapter but it's quite long so hopefully that makes up for it. I'm on holiday this week so no promises about when I'll be posting but hopefully the next chapter will be up by this time next week. Happy reading :)
> 
> (unbeta'd)

**22nd December**  
Riverdale had turned into a small dot on the horizon as the car sped along the motorway. A sign for New York whooshed past and Betty could feel the butterflies in her stomach fluttering. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was, not only did she get to have a white christmas with the Lodges, she also got to have it in New York, a city she’d always dreamed about visiting.

“Someone’s excited,” Ronnie teased, looking up from filling her already perfect nails.

“Some of us haven’t been to New York every summer since they could walk,” Betty quipped light heartedly, eyes glinting in anticipation.

“You got me there,” the raven haired princess gave in before turning her attention back to her nails.

Half an hour later, the two girls were being driven through streets lined with skyscrapers, speeding past the crowds of people which filled the sidewalks. Betty couldn’t tear her eyes from the window. She wanted to memorise every second of this trip. The way the sunlight bounced from building to building. How the snow lined the streets and stuck to bare branches. The sound of car horns and pedestrians which seemed such a contrast to the usual hum of Riverdale.

“The apartment is just up ahead. You’re gonna love it B! The living room has a view of Central Park which is just to die for and there’s even a Tiffany’s downstairs!” Ronnie squealed. Betty chuckled at her host sister’s reaction. Of course Veronica knew where the nearest Tiffany’s was.

They turned a few more corners before Smithers stopped the car, opening the back door to let the girls out. He busied himself with their bags as Ronnie grabbed Betty’s hand and all but dragged her to the elevator, pushing the button for the top floor.

\--------------------

The apartment was even more extravagant than it had looked in the photos Ronnie had shown Betty. Large wooden furniture and embroidered chairs and couches were meticulously placed around the living room. One entire wall was made of glass, giving the girls the view of Central Park which Veronica had described so articulately. Ronnie let her friend take it all in for a moment before dragging her down the long corridor, stopping abruptly outside a large door.

“So this room is for you B,” Ronnie said while opening the door. Betty squealed loudly before running in and jumping onto her back on the large bed.

“V, this is amazing. I can’t believe you get to come here every Christmas,” she said, trying, and failing, to keep the jealously out of her voice.

“Yeah, it’s pretty nice I guess. I prefer our apartment in Paris but this’ll have to do for the next two weeks,” Ronnie replied dramatically, a hand to her chest as if to show what a hardship this would be. Betty laughed and threw a decorative pillow at her which she caught easily. “Hey, watch it. All’s fear in love and war remember,” Ronnie threatened playfully, eyebrow raised before she chucked it back at Betty. She reached down and grabbed the blonde’s hands, pulling her from the soft mattress.

“Come on, you can’t just stay in here all day! I’ll show you the rest of the place.” They bounced out of the room, both giddy on laughter and excitement. Once Betty had been shown every nook and cranny of the huge apartment, the duo returned to the living room and blasted music as loud as they could, singing at the top of their lungs and dancing on the furniture. The sound of the front door unlocking pulled them out of their bubble as they scrambled off the furniture to turn off the music.

“Hi girls, nice to see you’ve settled in so quickly,” remarked as he strolled into the room.

“Daddy!” Ronnie exclaimed, running across the room to embrace her father.

“Hi sweetheart.” He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her on the top of her head, a smile wide on his face at the sight of his only daughter.

“I thought you weren’t going to make it for Christmas this year?” Veronica queried, still hugging her father tightly.

“Change of plans. I’m staying until boxing day but it means that I’ll have to do a few things while I’m here. Sadly, I can’t hang out with my favourite daughter all day,” Hiram said, his tone changing from serious to playful at the mention of Veronica. Betty felt a pang of homesickness. She couldn’t wait to hug her father again. Sure, she talked with him at least once a week, more if her mother had anything to do with it, but Skype would never be a good enough substitute for the real thing. She was snapped out of her daze by Hiram’s voice.

“Have you ever been to New York Betty?” Hiram questioned thoughtfully, untangling himself from his daughter’s arms to sit down on the couch opposite Betty’s chair.

“No, never, but I can’t wait to go exploring. It’s somewhere I’ve always dreamed of going,” she replied shyly, never quite sure how to react around her host dad considering how little time she’d spent with him.

“Veronica mentioned that you enjoyed art. I have some contacts at the MoMA who I’m sure would be more than happy to give you a tour. Maybe even show you around a bit behind the scenes” Betty’s face lit up at the prospect.

“That would be incredible, Hiram, thank you.” She had to stop herself from jumping up and down, playing it cool by recrossing her legs.

“Hermione was just sorting something out with Smithers but she should be up in a minute. You two run along and get ready for dinner,” Hiram suggested while reaching for the newspaper which was sitting on the coffee table and flipping to the business section. Veronica obediently started to head towards the door so Betty stood up and followed her out. She found it strange that Hiram treated Veronica like a child but then she supposed that was what happened when he had missed out on so much of her life, he had never seen her grow up. He didn’t see the smart, interesting, poised young woman that everyone saw when they looked at Veronica Lodge. He still saw the little girl who rushed into her father’s arms and clung onto his every word as if it would disappear as fast as he did. Veronica was uncharacteristically quiet as they walked into the bathroom. Betty put a comforting hand on her back, silently asking if she was okay. Ronnie looked at Betty in the mirror, sending her a small smile before turning on the water to wash her hands.

\--------------------

Dinner was as lavish as it normally was when both Hiram and Hermione were home to attend. Betty found it a bit wasteful due to the small portions that the Lodge women ate but knew better than to comment on it. The first half the meal was filled with pleasant conversation; Veronica telling Hiram about cheerleading, Betty talking about school, and Hermione occasionally asking the girls about various bits of gossip she’d heard around town. Veronica had just started explaining a new stunt Cheryl was teaching the River Vixens when Hiram’s phone rang.

“Would you please excuse me, it’s the offices in Japan,” he stated, attention already turned away from the three ladies he was supposed to be having dinner with. He placed his napkin back on the table and then vacated the room, phone already up to his ear before he was through the doorway.

Betty could feel a change in the atmosphere around her. It seemed cold and disappointed, an unwelcome contrast to the carefree way everyone had felt just moments before. Ronnie’s gaze remained fixed on her food, her fork pushing it around her plate absentmindedly. Betty caught the worried gaze that Hermione cast on her daughter and got the impression that Hiram had always had this sort of control over his daughter. The rest of the meal was eaten in an uncomfortable silence. Ronnie retreated to her room once she’d gotten sick of playing with her food and Betty heard her on the phone to Archie as she walked past her door. He may not be the smartest kid around but he was always there when his friends needed him, especially when Ronnie needed him, and Betty respected him for that.

She found a text from Jughead waiting for her once she got into her bedroom.

_Juggie: Hey Betts, I hope your first impression of New York is everything you dreamed it would be._

Betty smiled as she lay down on top of her bed, still surprised at how a bed could be this comfortable.

_Betts: Everything and more. Only saw it out of the car window but I’m already swept off my feet._

_Juggie: Guess I’d better watch out then, don’t know how I feel about sharing my girl with the city that never sleeps._

Betty’s heart fluttered as she reread his last text. My girl. She’d never been someone’s girl before but she liked the way it sounded coming from Jughead, even if it was just in a text.

_Betts: I think you’re pretty safe. Not enough brooding beanie boys here for my liking_

_Juggie: Aww shucks. You’re not too bad yourself Betts._

She could almost see the blush on his cheeks and found herself chuckling at his reply. They continued their back and forth banter until Betty’s eyes started to droop closed, forcing her to change into her pyjamas and crawl under the fluffy covers. She vaguely remembers texting him goodnight before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

\--------------------

**23rd December**  
Betty woke up just minutes before her alarm, too excited about her first day in New York to claim those few extra minutes of sleep. She quickly got changed into jeans and a t-shirt, pulling her hair into her signature ponytail before bounding out of her room and into the dining room for breakfast. Ronnie joined her shortly after, the mug of coffee in her hand not yet having worked it’s magic. They ate in comfortable silence, Ronnie scrolling through her phone and Betty reading an article in the newspaper that Hiram had abandoned on the table.

“So V, you got anything planned for today?” Betty asked, trying to sound casual.

“B, we’re in New York, what do you think I’ve got planned for today?” Ronnie pointed out, looking up from her phone. “You might want to pick something else to wear. That outfit might cut it in Riverdale but the places I’m thinking of going have a slightly stricter dress code,” shooting the blonde a teasing smile before turning her eyes back to the screen. Betty rolled her eyes playfully before getting up from the table to go and change. She picked out a white strappy top and a plain black skirt, pairing it with silver heels and hoping that it would be dressy enough for wherever Veronica was planning on going. She brushed her hair and let it fall in soft curls around her shoulders. A text from Jughead was waiting for her when she was finished getting ready.

_Juggie: Good morning Betts. What has Ronnie planned for your first day in the back in the big city? I don’t think I need three guesses…_

_Betts: You know her too well. Who knew that shopping had a dress code?_

Betty quickly took a photo of her outfit before attaching it to the message. The butterflies in her stomach started fluttering as she waited for her boyfriend’s reply, not quite sure how he was going to react.

_Juggie: Wow, you look incredible. I don’t know if those shoes will survive a New York winter though._

_Betts: Aww shucks. I highly doubt that we’ll be doing much walking, why would you if you have your own personal driver?_

_Betts: I have to go, I can hear Ronnie coming. I miss you xx_

_Juggie: Miss you too Betts, have a great day xx_

\--------------------

Betty was wrong. Even though Smithers did drive them everywhere, allowing them to avoid the muddy snow which seemed to be everywhere, Betty had forgotten how much walking Veronica liked to do inside the actual store. By the time they stopped for lunch, shopping bags filled the boot and had started to spill into the back seat. Shoes, handbags, jewelry, scarves. You name it and Veronica had probably bought it. The place Veronica had picked was a small but trendy cafe which she claimed made the best bagels in the whole city. They ordered their food and were talking about what they wanted to do for the rest of the day when Veronica suddenly stopped, mid sentence, and quickly turned away from the door.

“Is everything alright V?” Betty asked, thoroughly confused by the brunette’s sudden change in attitude.

“Don’t look now but there are some girls who just walked in who I really don’t want to talk to,” Ronnie mumbled quietly, still facing away from Betty. The blonde took a sip of water before discreetly turning towards the door. Two girls stood in the doorway, handing their large coats to one of the bewildered waitstaff, obviously confused as to why these girls would think there was a coat room in a bagel place. Both of them looked like supermodels, their hair was twisted up into an intricate updo and their bags were marked with brands Betty couldn’t even dream of affording. They scanned over the small cafe, eyes falling on Veronica before they sashayed over to them.

“Veronica Lodge, long time no see,” the taller one declared, the fake cheeriness in her voice reminded Betty of her mother.

“Kayla, Lucy, I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” Veronica exclaimed in mock surprise, standing up from her chair to kis each of them exaggerated kisses on the cheek. Betty was entranced. She’d seen things like this in TV shows, the rich girls all hangin out and pretending to be friends but really just waiting to destroy each other. The pseudo friendliness which coated each of their voices disguised the iciness of their words as they showered each other with empty compliments, smiles wide but eyes shooting daggers. Nobody spoke to Betty.

“Well, we’d best be going then, I forgot how 2015 this place is.” Lucy punctuated her sentence with a perfect laugh, showing off her white teeth. “Toodle,” she said, blowing Ronnie and air kiss before turning on her four inch heels and gliding out the door, Kayla not far behind her. Ronnie slumped down onto the table with a groan as soon as they had disappeared from sight. Betty reached out and placed a hand on her elbow, hoping to comfort her frustrated host sister.

“Who were they?” Betty asked cautiously, not really sure if she should be asking. Ronnie sat out and smoothed out her dress.

“Just some girls I know from around here. Their parents do business with Daddy and since I spend most of my summers here we used to hang out. Used to being the key word,” Ronnie muttered just as the waiter arrived with their lunch.

“I thought girls like that only existed in the movies,” Betty confessed, taking a bite of her bagel.

“Sadly not. Somehow they’re worse in real life.” Ronnie was in a mood for the rest of the meal. Betty new better than to badger Ronnie with questions when she was like this and let it drop, instead suggesting things that they could go and do once they’d finished their meal. After letting Betty babble on for a while, Ronnie broke her silence.

“That sounds like a lot of fun, B, but I’m not really up to it now. Care for some retail therapy instead? I just need a bit of a pick me up and then we can do it all tomorrow when I’m better company.” Betty was a bit surprised by Ronnie’s words but then again, the brunette wasn’t known for her subtlety. She nodded in agreement, deciding to keep quiet about her aching feet and let Ronnie drag her back into the car, directing Smithers to yet another luxury store that Betty hadn’t heard of. 

\--------------------

The Hitchcock blonde was so exhausted after a day of shopping with Veronica that she was tempted to ask Smithers to carry her up to the apartment but decided against it when she saw him struggling to get all of Ronnie’s bags out of the boot. Betty eventually convinced Ronnie to take some of her bags up in the elevator, taking advantage of her good mood. Hiram and Hermione were sitting in the living room when they arrived, waiting for the girls before starting dinner, neither of them seemed phased by the amount of purchases their daughter had made. 

The meal felt similar to the day before, everyone taking but no one really saying anything of great importance. Hermione looked relieved when Hiram didn’t answer his phone and Betty had a feeling she’d talked to him about what had happened after he’d left last night. Ronnie’s good mood continued throughout the evening, her smile growing even brighter the longer she spent around her father. The four of them played a few rounds of cards before Betty excused herself, claiming fatigue which wasn’t exactly a lie, she really just wanted the three of them to spend some time together alone. She knew she’d done the right thing when Ronnie sent her a grateful smile.

She pulled out her phone when she got into her room, sending Jughead a quick text before changing into her pyjamas.

_Betts: It’s official, I love New York_

_Betts: And you might have been right about the shoes, but not for the reasons you thought_

As soon as Betty had finished the text she got a Skype request from Jughead, quickly jumping onto her bed as she accepted the request.

"Hey Juggie" Betty said happily, trying and failing to hide her bright smile at the sight of her boyfriend.

"Hey Betts, how could I be wrong about shoes?" Jughead queried, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"They were fine for outside because, in true Veronica fashion, Smithers drove us everywhere. I just forgot how much walking Veronica does inside the actual shops," Betty replied, giggling at his insinuation that he had any idea about women's shoes, or shoes in general. Thinking back on it she was pretty sure she'd only seen him in two pairs of shoes which made her smile dull slightly until her boyfriend's voice bought her back from her train of thought.

"I can imagine. As much as I'd love to keep talking about shopping and shoes, any chance you want to watch a movie?"

"I would love to," Betty said softly. He sent her a shy smile through the screen of her phone and Betty couldn't believe how much she missed him. How much she missed the way he would thread his fingers through hers as the walked or put his arm around her shoulder when they sat in their booth at Pop's. He started talking about movie suggestions and Betty was suddenly hit with a realisation; she was in love with Jughead. She felt warm and giddy and so incredibly happy in that moment that Jughead interrupted himself.

"You okay Betts?"

"Never been better." And for once, she truly meant it. Betty didn't really want to reveal how she felt to Jughead over Skype so instead, she decided to remember Jug's movie suggestions. "Did I hear The Breakfast Club in there somewhere?" She asked, trying to cover up the fact that she wasn't paying attention. He chuckled to himself and then looked at her with those bright blue eyes.

"I had a feeling that was the one you'd pick. I've already got it loaded up on Netflix."

"What can I say, I'm a sucker for bad boys with dark hair," she giggled.

"Guess I'd better watch out then," Jughead quipped, before Betty heard the tell-tale sound of the movie starting. She quickly opened up Netflix and skipped ahead to where he was up to. They watched most of the movie in silence, much like all of the other movies they had watched together, only the occasional comment masking the sound of a character's voice, but Betty wouldn't have it any other way.

\--------------------

**24th December**  
As soon as she'd woken up, Betty realised that she must have fallen asleep while talking to Jug last night. It definitely wasn't the first time she'd fallen asleep during a movie but she still felt bad that she hadn't gotten the chance to say goodnight. She sent him a quick text apologising before walking over to her wardrobe to pick out something to wear. Hiram had mentioned that his friend was free to show Ronnie and herself around MoMA that morning and she wasn't too sure what the dress code was. She settled on a Ronnie-approved dress with stockings and boots, hoping it would be enough to ward off the winter chill which seemed to have crept into every crack in the city. As Betty was walking out the door to the car which Smithers had waiting, she got a text from Jug.

_Juggie: don't worry about it sleeping beauty ;)_

Betty's ever present smile became bigger and her cheeks blushed slightly, causing Veronica to shot her a questioning look.

"Talking to lover boy, I see B," Ronnie teased, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"Yeah, we were watching a movie last night but I fell asleep so he wa-" Betty tried to explain herself but was quickly interrupted.

"B, it's okay. You don't need to explain yourself to me. I've just, I don't think I've ever seen you looking so happy. Did something happen between you two? Omg, did you sleep with him?" Betty's blush reddened and spread throughout her body.

"No, V, nothing happened, well, not really. I just ... I think I'm in love with him." The words sounded foreign but familiar on her tongue and sent the butterflies in her stomach into a frenzy.

"OMG! B! I knew you liked him but I didn't realise you were in love with him! I'm so happy for you!" Veronica exclaimed, pulling Betty into a tight hug and jumping up and down. "Have you told him?" she asked, pulling away but keeping a tight grip on Betty's shoulders.

"No not yet. It kind of hit me last night and I don't really want to tell him over Skype, you know? It just wouldn't feel right. I can't wait until we go back to Riverdale to tell him though. I miss him so much, V, and it's only been four days since I last saw him." Betty rambled.

"Breathe blondey, everything'll be fine. I'm sure you can wait until you see him again. And by the way, he's totally in love with you too B. He looks at you like you hung the stars in the sky, he's completely head over heels. I can't believe it! I'm so happy for you guys!" Ronnie repeated, embracing Betty once more. Veronica's phone rang, breaking their moment.

"Oh crap, it's dad." She pulled Betty into the car and answered the phone simultaneously, Betty's face still shining bright as she thought about the conversation the two girls had been having only moments ago. "Yes daddy, we're almost there, just got caught up in traffic," she fibbed, sending Betty a knowing smile. "Be there in ten. Love you too." She hung up very quickly, before turning to Betty and whispering to her, acting as if she was telling her a huge secret. "Another reason that I love this New York is that you can always blame the traffic," causing the two girls to dissolve into a fit of giggles.

\--------------------

The Museum of Modern Art was everything Betty had dreamed of and more. Hiram and Hermione were waiting for them at the entrance, an older older man chatting animatedly with Hiram. Veronica smiled brightly at the sight of her parents and bounded up the steps, faster in heels on the icy stairs than Betty was in boots.

"Betty, I would like to introduce you to Mr. Prebble. He's an old friend and he's going to show us around this morning." Betty shook his hand firmly in greeting.

"Okay then, everyone ready? Good." He was off before they could respond, leaving the four of them standing there, stunned by his sudden movements. He was a short round man with wrinkles in the corner of his eyes from smiling too much and eyes that seemed to draw you in, as if they held the key to his happiness. Betty instantly warmed to him, listening attentively as he explained the story behind each painting, the detail put into each sculpture, the thought put into each photograph. 

By lunchtime, Betty was still full of energy and eager to keep exploring but the tired look on Hermione's face led them all to lunch instead. The four of them discussed their morning over delicate meals from a nearby restaurant, debating heatedly over their favourites. Betty was surprised how much Ronnie knew about the various works they had seen and even some that they hadn't. The meal was over in the blink of an eye and before Betty knew it, the two girls were left alone again as Hiram and Hermione excused themselves to go, claiming that they had important business that needed attending to. 

\--------------------

Ronnie had an absent minded smile on her face as the wandered around the snow lined streets, one similar to that which Betty had on her face as an aftermath of their earlier conversation, confirming Veronica's assumption that her blonde friend was indeed head of heels in love with her childhood friend. They ended up walking aimlessly through Central Park on their way back to the apartment, Betty looking around her and trying to remember every detail.

The bare trees were covered in a soft white blanket, matching that which covered the ground. The happy screams of children sung out from a nearby playground and the steady footsteps of determined runners plodded past them, leaving traces of their steps in the soft snow. The sound of cars and people which seemed ever present had somehow disappeared, making it feel like they had been transported outside of the bustling city New York was known to be. The two girls found an empty bench and sat down, braving the cold in an effort to make the most of their surroundings and each other's presence. Betty took out her phone to take a photo, attaching it to a message for Jughead because there was no one else she would rather share this moment with.

_Betts: Wishing you were here to see this_

I miss you. Her phone buzzed with a reply almost instantly. She opened it up and was greeted with a photo of his spot at Sweetwater River. Their spot.

_Juggie: Wishing I could be there with you Betts. I miss you, more than you know._

Betty's heart fluttered as she read his message, over and over again.

"When did you know that you were in love with Archie?" Betty asked, breaking the silence that had fallen between the two of them. Ronnie's eyes lit up at the mention of her boyfriend.

"I didn't really. He said it first, the night before sophomore year started. We'd been friends forever and then started dating halfway through freshman year. We were lying down in his backyard, staring up at the stars and talking about the school year when he just said it, practically blurted it out." She laughed quietly at the memory, surely replying it in her mind. "I hadn't really thought about it before then, being in love with someone, but it made so much sense. It was like there was this feeling that I'd always had but never been able to put a name to. It felt ... right. I told him I loved him and the rest is history," Ronnie finished with a shrug, as if it all made perfect sense and didn't need anymore explaining.

They returned to their previous silence, each mulling over Veronica's words in their own way, not moving until the winter sun disappeared behind the glass horizon.

\--------------------

**25th December**  
Once again, the ringing of Betty's phone woke her up long before her alarm should've. She quickly swiped across to accept the Skype call, already knowing who was responsible for her early morning wake up.

"Mum, it's 5am. I’ve told you this a million times, you can't keep calling me this early. You know what happens when I don't get my eight hours." Betty had to fight a satisfied grin at her wit as she used her mother’s own words against her.

"Merry Christmas to you too Elizabeth. I'm sorry for interrupting your beauty sleep, it looks like you need it to. I told you that you need to stop eating that sugary junk, you're skin is starting to wrinkle prematurely." Betty instinctively touched her face at her mother's words, taking a deep breath before responding.

"Merry Christmas Mum," she grumbled reluctantly. "How was your day?" Alice then filled in on every small detail she could think of to help her daughter fully understand how her Christmas had been, despite the fact that the Coopers were creatures of habit and so Betty could have told her mother exactly what she thought would happen and probably describe at least ninety percent of the day. Alice continued talking until the sun started to stream through Betty's window, giving Betty the opportunity to practice her well timed nods and mumbles of agreement, a skill she had perfected years ago. Just as her mother started explaining what Uncle Stephen had given various family members, a Skype request from Jughead popped up on the screen.

"I'm really sorry Mum but I have to go. I can hear Veronica calling me for breakfast and I don't want to keep them waiting. Bye, love you!" she said hurriedly, accepting Jughead's request mere seconds after Alice's voice had disappeared.

"Merry Christmas Juggie!" Betty practically screamed once she saw Jughead's face.

"Merry Christmas Betts. Sorry for calling so early, I probably woke you up," he said apologetically.

"No no it's fine. My mum still can't figure out the time difference/doesn't care so I've been up for hours. You actually saved me from hearing a detailed recount of all of the present that my family got this year so I should really be thanking you."

"What can I say, a modern day knight in shining armor," he quipped, both of them chuckling at his words.

"As long as I don't have to be the damsel in distress that's fine by me."

"I can't imagine you needing me to save you. You're strong enough to beat the dragon all on your own." Betty cheeks turned pink at his words, the soft tone of his voice making her heart flutter.

"Thank you for fighting them with me," she replied softly, holding his gaze through the screen. They stayed lie that for several moments, eyes soft and hearts full, trying to memorise every part of each other. Neither of them can remember who breaks their moment first but the next half an hour is full of laughter and stolen glances, both of them wishes that they were stolen kisses instead. The easy pace of their conversation only ends when Jughead says that he has to go downstairs to help Fred and Arch with breakfast. They reluctantly hang up, both trying to convey messages that they can't put into words. Betty hears Veronica's soft footsteps walk past her bedroom door and slowly pulls back the covers before slipping out into the living room.

\--------------------

All of the Lodges are in the living room by the time Betty finds them and she can't help but think how normal they look. All of them are sitting around the table in pyjamas, a large mug in one hand and various pastries in the other. She doesn't think that she's ever seen Hermione without makeup and she has definitely never seen Hiram in anything but a suit. They all smile at her warmly and give her something to eat before congregating around the Christmas tree.

The biggest pile of presents Betty has ever seen is trying to hide under the lush green tree. Veronica moves back and forth, creating three piles of gifts. The Hitchcock blonde watches on in amusement as they all try to guess what's inside them. Once Ronnie has finished handing out the presents, she hands two small packages to Betty with a wink. One is wrapped up in turquoise green paper and a perfectly tied gold ribbon. The other is an oddly shaped and wrapped in red paper covered in tiny cartoon wrapping paper. On the tag, written in a black scrawl of ink she has come to recognise instantly, is one word; Juggie.

She couldn’t contain her excitement as she looks over at Ronnie in disbelief, the raven haired girl's eyes already trained on her in anticipation. She answer Betty's unspoken question with another wink as she watches the blonde rip into the paper impatiently. Inside she finds a 'Rear Window' DVD, a jar of marmite, and a letter. Betty tries to hold in a laugh at the contents of the gift, setting aside the letter to read later. Her mind wanders to Jughead and wonders what he thought of the gift she got him. She wonders if he laughed when he sees that they both got each other the DVD of the movie they were watching when they'd first kissed. Probably. Great minds do think alike after all.

Next, Betty opened the second gift Ronnie had handed her. She undid the paper carefully, not wanting to ruin something that someone had obviously spent some time doing. Inside the paper was a small box from Tiffany & Co. containing a set of diamond stud earrings. Betty let out a small gasp before looking up at the Lodges.

"Oh my goodness, they're beautiful! You guys really shouldn't have. You've done so much for me, I really didn't expect you to get me anything!" Betty exclaimed, working herself up into an anxious flustered mess.

"Mija, don't worry about it. You've done so much for this family and besides, it's Christmas. Everything deserves something sparkly for Christmas." Hermione replied, walking across the room to give Betty a hug. "Merry Christmas."

"Thank you so much. These are gorgeous." Betty replied in a manner even Alice Cooper would be proud of. About an hour later, after all of the food had been eaten and all of the presents opened, everyone went to get dressed. In true Lodge fashion, heels and pearls were put on and makeup expertly applied. Betty followed suit, wondering where they would be going on Christmas day, only to find out that they were dressing up for a movie marathon in the living room.

\--------------------

"I don't what your family rituals are for Christmas but ours is fancy dress and cheesy Christmas movies." Ronnie answered Betty unspoken question. By the end of the night, the whole family was in a food coma from eating all of the sweet treats they could get their hands on. Apparently calories don't count on Christmas, a mindset Betty wished her mother would adopt. After watching 'The Grinch' everyone decided it was probably time to go to bed. Betty was so exhausted that she almost forgot about Jughead's letter, sitting patiently on her dresser, waiting to be read. She rushed through her nightly routine before sliding under her covers, letter in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is Jughead's letter going to say?  
> Contact me on tumblr (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/daisy-chain-gardens) with any feedback or comments about this chapter or just the story in general :)


	7. The Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, me again. Sorry for the slow update but I've had a bit of a crazy week so I haven't had a lot of time to write. This chapter is quite long though so hopefully that makes up for it! The next chapter is going to be 'day by day' style as well. I was going to merge this chapter and the next chapter but I really wanted to post something today and I think this chapter is long enough as it is. Happy reading :)  
> (unbeta'd)

_Brave. This is the first word I would think of if someone asked me to describe Betty Cooper. Although these five small letters do nothing to describe the incredible human being that you are, they begin to describe what you are to me. The next word I think of is gentle, then strong, then intelligent, and then a millions others which would take a lifetime to write out. The truth is, a light such as yourself can’t be summed up with mere words, no matter how many I try to use. You couldn’t possibly be summarised because you are so much more than just a few sentences. You are your accomplishments, your failures, your memories, your regrets and everything in between. Every single one of these things has created you, the amazing, ethereal, kind hearted girl who I am incredibly lucky to call my girlfriend. You make me feel safe in this screwed up world and for that I am eternally grateful. Snowball fights and late night movies and vanilla milkshakes and that certain shade of green will forever remind me of you, surely bringing a smile to my face until my dying days. If someone ever asks me about it, I’ll be sure to tell them all about the beautiful blonde with a funny accent and piercing green eyes. The way her hair looks like pure gold when the sun hits it just so. The look of pure joy and wonder on her face at the sight of snow. The way she tilts her head back slightly and scrunches her eyes shut when she laughs. The tune she taps absentmindedly against the table as she does her math homework. If anyone ever asks me why I remember all of these small moments that anyone else would deem insignificant, I'll tell them it is because of you. The unforgettable Betty Cooper. The girl who had my heart from the second I saw her laughing away in a booth at Pop's. What I'm trying to say, or rather write, is that I love you Betty Cooper. Somehow it feels like I always have. Like I just knew, as soon as we locked eyes, that you were the only girl that would ever be anywhere near enough for me. I am so so happy that you're in my life, and now that you are I can't imagine my life without you. I hope that you have the most unforgettable Christmas, Betts, because you deserve it. You deserve all of the goodness and happiness in the world and I will try my hardest to give it to you. I love you._  
  
This was the letter that Jughead wanted to send. The words flowed smoothly as his pen raced across the page to keep up with his thoughts. Before the ink on the first word had even begun to dry, Jughead knew he would never send this to Betty, no matter how desperately he wanted to. "What kind of wimp tells his girlfriend he loves her in a letter?" He mumbled under his breath before scrunching it up and tossing it in the bin.  
  
What felt like several hours later, the bin beside Archie's desk was overflowing, crumpled paper marked with half finished sentences spilling over the sides of the small metal basket. Jughead held his head in his hands, willing himself to continue. This letter had to be perfect but nothing that he wrote felt right. His sentences felt clunky and his words sounded generic and impersonal. After many more failed attempts, he begrudgingly sifted through the paper mountain and pulled out the crumpled sheet hiding at the very bottom.

\--------------------

Betty didn't realise she was crying until the ink became blurry, forcing her to clear her eyes before reading the final words of Jughead's letter. His fingers ran over the crumpled page, circling those three words that changed everything. She didn't try to fight her lovesick smile, knowing that her efforts would be in vain. He loved her. Jughead Jones loved her, Betty Cooper. She couldn't believe it. She had to stop from running and jumping around the room for fear of waking up her host family. She reread his letter countless times until she had it memorised, her mind playing the words over and over again. She reached over to her dresser and grabbed her phone, bringing up Jughead's name on Skype and calling him faster than she thought was humanly possible. He picked up on the second ring.  
  
"Hi Betts," he mumbled sleepily, a groggy smile on his face at the sight of his girlfriend.  
  
"Hi Juggie." Her voice was quiet but Jughead could hear the excitement in it.  
  
"Everything ok? It's pretty late. Shouldn't you b-"  
  
"I love you," Betty blurted out, her voice now strong and sure. "Jughead Jones, I love you," she repeated, more to herself than anyone else. Betty wished she had a camera to take a photo of Jughead the minute the words slipped out of her mouth. Pure love and adoration covered his face, no sight of his usual nonchalance.  
  
"Betty Cooper, I love you." There were tears, and quiet promises, and three words whispered over and over again, so many times that they were the only ones either of them could remember. All that Betty wanted was to be with him. To be able to hold his hand, stroke his cheek, press his lips against hers, anything. She absentmindedly traced his face on the screen, aching for his touch. They kept talking until their conversation turned to yawns, the quiet sound of Riverdale in the morning flooded through the speakers before their screens finally turned black.

\--------------------

**26th December**  
  
By the time Betty emerged from her room, Ronnie had already finished one mug of coffee and Hiram and Hermione were standing near the door.  
  
"Ah, Betty, I'm glad you're awake. Hermione and I are heading off to Paris until the New Year. We have some meetings and things to attend for the company. You two should be fine here but Smithers is staying behind in case you need anything. Have a good time, stay safe," Hiram called over his shoulder as he strolled out of the front door, his wife on his arm. Veronica let out a small sigh when the door closed before quickly turning her attention to Betty.  
  
"So B, I heard voices very late last night. What were you and lover boy up to?" Veronica questioned playfully, waggling her eyebrows.  
  
"Nothing just ... talking," The blonde looked down at the table to hide her smile, failing to hide her happiness as her face blushed red.  
  
"Just talking? If you say so. What did he say in that letter he gave you?" Betty looked up at her host sister, her face resembling that of a deer in the headlights. Ronnie had an innocent smile on her face causing Betty to narrow her eyes.  
  
"What do you know?" Betty asked slowly, her voice curious but threatening.  
  
"I know nothing. But I may have talked to a certain boyfriend of mine who may just happens to sleep in the same room as a certain boyfriend of yours. A certain boyfriend who might sleep talk." Ronnie's voice raised teasingly as she kept her eyes trained on Betty, her innocent smile now having morphed into a knowing smirk. Betty kept her eyes narrowed, still unsure as to whether or not Veronica was bluffing.  
  
"What do you know?" She repeated, her tone becoming more threatening than curious.  
  
"Fine, I give up, you're no fun. Archiekins was clearing out the bin in his room and there was a whole bunch of letters; all addressed to you, all written by Jug. Arch kept teasing him about it until Jug confessed that he loves you." She waited for a beat, creating a dramatic pause which only Veronica could pull off in an actual conversation. "But I wasn't lying about the sleep talking thing." Betty couldn't contain the smile on her face. Last night the pair had said that they loved each other more times than most people did in a lifetime but Betty didn't think she would ever get tired of hearing it. "So then, last night wasn't just talking, was it?" The brunette raised her eyebrows again, this time questioningly instead of playfully.  
  
"Yes, V, just talking. Sorry to disappoint," Betty replied, laughing when Veronica fake-pouted. "You are the only person I know that would be annoyed I didn't do anything other than talk with my boyfriend on Christmas. Well, you and Kevin."  
  
"At least Kevin has his priorities straight. Speaking of which, shopping is compulsory today because, well shopping should be compulsory everyday really. But, we need to get you something nice for when you get to see Jughead again!" Ronnie practically squealed, looking a lot more excited than Betty.  
  
"Fine, only if we can go sightseeing this afternoon. I haven't gotten to do any sightseeing."  
  
"Deal. Now go get changed, I just got to make some calls," Veronica agreed mysteriously but Betty was too caught up in her daydreams to notice.

\--------------------

Not more than an hour after their conversation in the kitchen, the two girls were walking around one of the many malls New York had to offer, arms linked at the elbow as they walked through the crowds of shoppers.  
  
"Ok so, first stop, Victoria's Secrets? What colour are you thinking? I think you'd look good in light pink, maybe blue," Ronnie started rambling, talking about various styles of lingerie.  
  
"Wait, what? Why are we going here for me?" Betty asked, her face revealing her confusion.  
  
"To get you something for Jug, remember?" The dark haired girl replied before laughing at the blonde's blatant confusion. "What did you think we were shopping for, lollipops?" Thank god for waterproof makeup because Veronica was laughing herself to tears at how naive Betty was.  
  
"I don't know. I thought maybe a new dress or something. I don't really know if we're at the lingerie stage yet," Betty said shyly. She was used to talking about her relationship with Ronnie but this felt different, more personal.  
  
"Not yet but I have a feeling you will be soon. You love him and he loves you, what else is there?" Veronica asked, as if it were as simple as that.  
  
"I don't know it's just ... scary, I guess," Betty confessed, slightly embarrassed.  
  
"B, I'm not trying to pressure you into sleeping with your boyfriend or anything but it's just how it is. people have needs. You might not feel that way yet and that's nothing to be ashamed of. If nothing else, we can always just go and get cute bras for you, Jughead never has to know." Betty hugged her host sister tightly, thankful that she wasn't pushing the matter.  
  
"Fine V. Only because I know that you’re not going to drop this."  
  
"I have raised you well my little kiwi." Veronica smiled up at her blonde friend with motherly affection, laughing when Betty crouched down to her height. Half an hour later, although Betty would probably tell you it was about five hours later, the pair walked out of the mall, arms laden with bags, all from the same store.

\--------------------

They finally sat down for lunch at a trendy vegan restaurant, shopping bags surrounding their small table. Their food came quickly and they were just about to start eating when a high pitched voice interrupted them.  
  
"Veronica Lodge, OMG! I didn't know you were back in New York!" A short blonde girl hurried towards them, the amount of shopping bags she was carrying rivaled Ronnie's.  
  
"Zara? It's so good to see you! I thought you guys were in Spain for the holidays." Veronica rushed out of her seat and into Zara's arms, hugging her tightly.  
  
"Just for Christmas, we flew in this morning. You know how much I love the shopping in New York." She said, her voice bubbling with excitement.  
  
"Tell me about it. Zara, this is Betty. She's an exchange student from New Zealand and she's staying with me in Riverdale until June." Betty stood up, remembering all of those years of etiquette training her mother had drilled into her.  
  
"IT'S VERY NICE TO MEET YOU," Zara yelled very slowly, over enunciating each syllable.  
  
"It's nice to meet you too," Betty replied, trying to not to laugh at the small girl in front of her.  
  
"Oh, you speak english. I thought maybe you spoke dutch or something." Zara said, unfased by her mistake. She joined them at their table, contributing immensely to their mountain of shopping, and kept the conversation easy until Betty and Ronnie had finished their food. "You girls up for round 2?" Ronnie looked at Betty, waiting or her to answer.  
  
"You two go ahead. I wanted to get in some sightseeing but I'll be fine on my own. I'll text you if I need anything." Betty said, ever the people pleaser. Ronnie thanked her silently before kissing her on the cheek and bouncing out of the restaurant, Zara following right behind as they handed off their shopping to an ever obliging Smithers. Betty chuckled at the sight of them before walking out of the restaurant herself, heading in the opposite direction.

\--------------------

_Juggie: Hope you haven't died from over-shopping._ Betty laughed when Jughead's slightly morbid text lit up her phone about an hour after she'd left Ronnie. She'd managed to navigate the subway more a less successfully and then was currently standing in line to go up the Empire State building.  
  
_Betts: Not yet. Check back tomorrow and I might have a different answer._ They texted back and forth until Betty got to the front of the line, eventually making her way to the elevator and stepping out once it arrived on the top floor.  
  
She was speechless. The whole city was spread out beneath her, the skyscrapers looking like they were a normal size while the rest of the city looked like it was built for ants. She slowly walked along the edge of the fence, trying to soak up every second of the experience. Her phone buzzed in her bag, forcing her to tear her eyes away from the skyline and redirect her attention to the screen where a new text from Jughead waited for her.  
  
_Juggie: I love you._ She felt unstoppable. Reading those words whilst standing on the top of the world made the butterflies in her chest flutter. Betty turned her back to the city, turning her camera around to take a selfie, the smile on her face bright enough to rival the lights which the city was known for.  
  
_Betts: I wish you were here with me_  
  
_Betts: I love you._ It made her so happy to be able to type out those eight letter. Jughead replied almost instantly.  
  
_Juggie: I'll be seeing you sooner than you think._ She held her phone to her chest, smile still bright as she looked out across New York for one last time before walking back over to the elevator and heading back down to earth.

\--------------------

Jughead and Betty continued texting for the rest of the afternoon, Betty sending him various photos of herself posing in front of New York landmarks. She ached to see him and sent him a Skype request as soon as she got through the apartment door that evening, making note of Veronica's absence and figuring she probably wasn't going to be back any time soon.  
  
"Hey Betts," Jughead said as he accepted her request.  
  
"Hey Juggie." She was almost breathless at the sight of him, not sure how he could make her feel like this through a computer screen.  
  
"I was just about to order burgers for dinner. Archie's out somewhere and Fred's working late. I don't know why on boxing day but I get the house to myself so I'm not complaining," Jughead said, reaching for the phone to call the number for Pop's he'd memorised a long time ago.  
  
"I think I'm in the mood for pizza. You up for a movie tonight?" She asked, barely able to keep the expectation out of her voice.  
  
"Always, any ideas?"  
  
"I am in New York so I feel like 'West Side Story' is compulsory viewing," Betty said whilst scouring the internet for nearby pizza places. Of course there were a million.  
  
"Not sure if I agree with your reasoning but you've convinced me, West Side Story it is," he said in mock disappointment.  
  
"You've gone soft Jug. Probably just because you love me," she smiled, turning her attention away from her computer to look at him on her phone. His eyes sparkled and they somehow looked deeper than normal. His beanie-less hair was sticking up in all directions, leaving Betty wishing she could run her fingers through it.  
  
"Anything for you Betts." His expression could only be described as loving and Betty had to bite her lip to try and prevent her smile from taking up her whole face. "However, I do have food waiting for me so I'll call you back in 20 minutes, ok?"  
  
"Okey dokey. I'll see you in 20 minutes, not a second later. Love you!" She called out before hanging up the phone, promptly dialing Smithers number.  
  
"Hey Smithers, do you know of any good pizza places nearby?"  
  
"Certainly Ms. Coo-, Betty, I can go and find some for you if you'd like? Any particular toppings?" It had taken almost three months for Smithers to voluntarily call Betty by her first name but it still made her giggle a bit when she heard him struggle with the informality so much.  
  
"Surprise me. That would be amazing thank you. I think it's a pj's and takeout kind night."  
  
"I understand Betty. I'll bring it up to you as soon as possible."  
  
"No rush. Thanks a ton Smithers!" Betty set up the TV and found the movie on Netflix, changing into her pyjamas while she waited for Jughead to call. Her phone started buzzing as soon as she walked back into the living room.  
  
"You ok Jug? You look a bit flushed." Betty stated as soon as his face popped up on the screen, voice laced with concern.  
  
"I'm ... fine ... 20 ... minutes ... isn't ... very ... long." Jughead choked out, breathing heavily.  
  
"Did you run Jug?" Betty asked, trying to stop herself from laughing at his breathlessness.  
  
"Maybe ... I think Pop's has ... gotten further away ... since you've been gone." A giggle slipped from her lips and Jughead laughed along with her, both just happy to be with each other. Smithers knocked politely on the door, handing Betty her pizza before slipping silently back into the elevator.  
  
"Ok, dinner's all set, you ready to start watching?" She asked, the remote already in one of her hands as she reached for a slice of pizza with the other.  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied, his breathing finally under control. The music for the intro started and Jughead couldn't tear his eyes away from his girlfriend. It wasn't the same as having her with him. He couldn't feel the weight of her lying across him, his arm wrapped around her or running his fingers through her hair. He eventually looked away when he heard the Sharks clicking through the streets of New York, the sound ripping him from his thoughts. They engaged in their usual movie conversations throughout the film, commenting on various things which caught their eye.  
  
Jughead noticed Betty's uncharacteristic silence and looked down at his phone, the sight before him one which he swears made his heart stop. Betty was leaned back against the couch, wrapped up tightly in a blanket with her hair messily falling around her face. Her mouth was hanging slightly open and her soft snores were barely heard over the noise coming from the TV. He let himself look at her for a few more seconds before softly whispering those three small words and ending the call.  
  
Veronica tumbled through the door very early the next morning, or late that night, she's not quite sure. She's greeted by Betty's sleeping figure on the couch, the Netflix menu on the TV, and Jughead's Skype profile on Betty's open laptop. Ronnie couldn't help but think about how the sleeping blonde was going to react when she found out about her surprise tomorrow. The raven haired princess recovered Betty with her blanket, shut down her laptop and the TV, and then walked down the hall to her room, her eyes closing as soon as her head hit the pillow.

\--------------------

**27th December**  
  
Betty woke up to the sun streaming through the windows, New York already buzzing down below. She got up slowly and decided to make some pancakes, blasting her music in the kitchen while she worked. Veronica stumbled into the kitchen as Betty was taking the last batch out of the pan, fumbling around for her coffee mug.  
  
“Fun night V?” Betty asked.  
  
“How could it not be? Two girls armed with daddy’s credit card, sounds like a recipe for success.” Veronica replied sleepily, filling up her cup carefully. “Care for a stroll in Central Park after breakfast? I think a bit of fresh air will help get rid of this thumping headache I just happen to have accumulated.” The brunette’s eyes twinkled knowingly as she finished her sentence, causing Betty to giggle.  
  
“New York, new Veronica? I thought you hated strolling, and the outdoors, and watching people exercise,” Betty pointed out skeptically, confused as to what had caused Ronnie’s sudden change of heart.  
  
“You never know, maybe we’ll find something more interesting to do along the way.” She took a long sip of her coffee, dismissing Betty’s bewildered look.  
  
“Whatever you say V. As long as it doesn’t involve shopping I’m good with whatever.”  
  
“Speaking of shopping, you should wear something that you bought yesterday. What’s the point in buying it if you’re not going?” Ronnie asked, feigning nonchalance.  
  
“What’s going on V? First you want to ‘go for a stroll’ and now you’re trying to get me to wear nice underwear for said stroll. Is there something going on that I don’t know about?” Betty was completely puzzled at this point and was frustrated that Veronica was being so secretive.  
  
“Only time will tell. Eat up quick, I want to go to the park as soon as possible.” The brunette refused to meet Betty’s eye as they finished their pancakes, Betty’s mind racing with possibilities as to what Veronica could possibly have planned for them at the park. Although she would deny it if Ronnie asked her, Betty put her new baby blue bra and matching underwear on under her winter clothes. Ronnie all but dragged her out the door as soon as she was decent, stilettos clicked hurriedly along the icy pavement. Betty was lead this way and that for about ten minutes until she realised that Ronnie was following the signs to the ice skating rink.  
  
“V, why are we going ice skating? I know how you feel about wearing shoes that other people have worn.” The raven haired princess shuddered at the thought before replying to the girl she was dragging along, a devious smile playing on her lips.  
  
“If things go well, we’ll be doing a lot more than ice skating.”

\--------------------

A bright smile lit up Betty’s face at the sound of children playing, a sure sign that they were getting close to the ice skating rink. Her curiosity was killing her and she could tell that it was taking everything Ronnie had not to spoil her mysterious surprise. As soon as they rounded the corner the ice came into view, but Betty took no notice. All that she could see was him. Jughead and Archie were leaning against the barrier, chatting animatedly about something, caught up in their own bubble. Betty ran over to them and jumped into Jughead’s arms, hugging him tightly. Jughead reacted in an instant, holding her close and spinning her around.  
  
“I missed you,” she whispered in his ear, melting into him.  
  
“I love you,” he whispered back. She shifted slightly in his arms, moving so she could rest her forehead against his, her green eyes getting lost in the depths of his.  
  
“I love you.” Before he could react her lips were on his, desperate and loving, trying to convey how they felt now that words were no longer enough.  
  
“As adorable as you two are, there are children here,” Veronica pointed out from where she was standing next to Archie. His arm was already wrapped around her shoulder as he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. Ronnie’s eyes fluttered closed at the sensation, letting herself lean into his chest. Betty pulled back slightly, blue eyes meeting green, giving her a look that made her feel like she was floating. She had thought that reading those words made her feel something but after hearing them fall from his perfect lips, she didn’t think she could ever get enough. Reluctantly, Betty untangled herself from Jughead as he lowered her gently to the ground, her arm staying around his waist as she turned to face Veronica.  
  
“This is incredible V, I can’t believe you did this,” Betty said, her emotions written all over her face.  
  
“Anything for you B, you know that. I think Archiekins and I are gonna head back to the apartment, you guys want to tag along?” Jughead didn’t even check with Betty before replying.  
  
“Thanks Ron but I think we’re gonna walk around a bit, maybe do some sightseeing.” Jughead looked down at Betty with a sly grin and she burst out laughing, remembering all of the strange pictures she had sent him yesterday.  
  
“Ok well we’ll see you guys for dinner? Maybe watch a movie after?” Ronnie asked, taking over Betty’s usual role of organising everyone now that the blonde was too busy staring at her boyfriend.  
  
“Sounds good, see you tonight,” and with that they were off, running away from their friends and deeper into the park, hand in hand, laughs ringing out and masking the sound of the ice skaters beside them. Ronnie watched them go, a small smile on her face as she watched the pair disappear through the trees. The couple stayed like that for a while, holding each other close and watching the snow fall around them, before slowly turning around and strolling off in the other direction.

\--------------------

As soon as Archie and Ronnie were out of view, Betty and Jughead once again became a tangle of limbs, holding each other so tightly they almost seemed like one person. Jughead’s hands were cupping her face, pulling her into the kiss with everything he had. Her hands mimicked his before running through his hair, knocking his beanie to the ground. Neither of them knew how long they stayed like that, kissing the life out of each other, hands roaming as they pleased. Seconds felt like hours but even the hours weren’t long enough. The snow had stopped falling by the time their lips pulled apart, hugging each other as though they would disappear if they put too much space in between them.  
  
“I love you.”  
  
“I love you.”  
  
Their words repeated over like a mantra until their voices turned hoarse from the cold, forcing them to held each other in silence. Silently, they let each other go, hands still joined as their fingers laced together. Jughead leaned down and picked up his beanie, the colour almost black from the dampness of the snow it was half buried under. He tucked it into his pocket, sending Betty that smile which made her heart melt. They slowly made their way out of the park not quite sure of their destination but not really caring.

\--------------------

Jughead and Betty spent the whole day running around New York, hand in hand, laughter following them through the bustling streets. They retraced Betty’s steps from the day before, recreating her goofy photos with the camera Jughead had been given for Christmas. He was constantly taking photos of anything that caught his eye; a colourful sign, people caught in conversation, old buildings, Betty. She was somehow completely oblivious to his camera, too caught up in her own little bubble to hear the constant click or notice the lovesick smile on her boyfriend’s face whenever she appeared in his lens. Halfway through the afternoon, Jughead’s phone buzzed in his pocket.  
  
“Can you grab that Betts? I really want to get this shot,” he asked without looking at her, eyes completely focused on the small screen of his camera. A small smile played on her lips at the way he looked when he was completely focused, tongue slightly visible through his pink lips as his fingers fiddled with some buttons. She watched him for a second before digging his phone out of his pocket.  
  
_Arch: Ronnie wants to go out tonight so we might not be here when you guys get back. Movies tomorrow night?_  
  
“It’s Archie. V’s taking him out tonight so we’ll be all on our lonesome,” Betty relayed, unable to keep her smile from growing at the thought of having the apartment all to themselves. She sent off a quick reply to Archie and was just about to turn it off when something caught her eye. Jughead’s background was the photo she had sent him yesterday, her smiling face looking back at her from the screen, New York filling up the background. She stood up on the tips of her toes and softly kissed Jughead on the cheek. He stopped fiddling with his camera and looked down at her.  
  
“What was that for?” He asked, slightly confused by his girlfriend’s sudden display of affection.  
  
“Because I love you,” she replied, slipping his phone back into his pocket.  
  
“I love you.” He leant down to kiss her, slow but quick at the same time. “I don’t think I’m ever going to get tired of say those words,” Jughead confessed, eyes locked on hers.  
  
“Good because I’ll never get tired of hearing them,” Betty said with a cheeky grin, pulling him back in for another kiss, lacing her fingers back through his and leading him through the crowd.

\--------------------

They tumbled into the apartment later that evening. Jughead held takeout in one hand and Betty in the other. The two of them promptly collapsed onto the couch, not even bothering to take off their winter coats. Betty leaned against Jughead, closing her eyes for a few seconds.  
  
“You ok Betts? We can just go to sleep if you want,” He suggested, concern leaking into his voice at the sight of his exhausted girlfriend.  
  
“No, I’m fine. It’s just been a busy day,” Betty said, opening her eyes and smiling up at him, adjusting slightly so she could see him better.  
  
“It’s been an amazing day.” His voice sounded soft, his hand squeezing her gently from where it rested on her hip. She snuggled in closer to him, leaning into his chest with her legs lying across his lap.  
  
“It was truly incredible. But now we have to eat, my stomach is getting angry at me,” she commented, making no effort to move from her spot. Jughead chuckled at her response.  
  
“A girl after my own heart,” he quipped, running his fingers through her blonde locks a few times before moving her off his lap so he could grab the food. Betty took off her coat and shoes while she waited for him to return, turning on the TV and scrolling through Netflix. They ate their takeout and watched movies, just like they always did. Betty was so happy that he was here and not on the other side of a screen. She sat as close to him as possible and took every chance she could to touch him; brush his hair out of his eyes, draw small circles on his arm with her thumb, kiss his hand as he held it in hers. Jughead found it adorable how affectionate she got when she was tired. It seemed as if her inhibitions melted away and she was truly herself. He had to fight off a laugh at the end of the movie when he realised she had somehow fallen asleep in what he thought looked like a very uncomfortable position wrapped around him. He was unable to extract himself without waking her up so he gently nudged her shoulder.  
  
“I’m awake, I’m just … resting,” she mumbled, eyes still closed. The chuckle finally escaped his lips as he helped her slowly move to an upright position.  
  
“You ready for bed babe?” He teased, brushing her hair out of her face.  
  
“I like it when you call me babe.” She sent him a sleepy grin which made his heart flutter. God she was beautiful, even with her hair a mess and eyes half closed. He quietly stood up and half carried her down the hall.  
  
“Which bedroom is yours?” Jughead asked when they got to the corridor.  
  
“That one over there,” she pointed to a door about halfway down and Jughead chuckled again. “What’s so funny?’ Betty asked, not sure if she had missed something or if Jughead was just being strange.  
  
“Just Ron. That’s the room I stayed in last time I came here with her and she told me I would be in the same room again.” Betty smiled again, not really awake enough to give a proper response.  
  
“Guess you’re stuck with me then.”  
  
“I can think of worse things,” Jughead replied, kissing her nose when she scrunched it up in mock anger. Betty flopped straight onto the bed when they got into the room  
  
“I can’t be bothered moving now,” she admitted, voice muffled by the duvet.  
  
“Come on babe, you can’t sleep in your jeans. Where do your pj’s live?” He asked as he put his bag in the corner.  
  
“Second drawer down. Just grab whatever.” Jughead could hear her voice getting sleepier and moved quickly around the room, grabbing a pair of flannel pj’s before walking over to the bed.  
  
“There you go. Do you want me to wait in the bathroom?” She shook her head before dragging herself off the bed, starting to take off her sweater. Jughead walked calmly over to his bag, pulling out his own pyjamas. By the time he turned around to ask her something, she was only in her bra and undies. He help but stare. She was absolutely breathtaking. He tried to gulp down the lump that was forming his throat, will himself to stay calm but not quite sure how to go about it. Betty noticed him staring and let out a giggle.  
  
“Like what you see?” She teased, a sparkle in her eye that Jughead hadn’t seen before. She walked over to him and he could have sworn it was in slow motion. She wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed him, hard. Where their other kisses had been filled with unspoken promises and loving touches, this was purely instinct. Hands roamed where they pleased and tongues collided, both of them trying to get as much of each other as possible. Jughead’s hands gripped the back of her thighs, pulling her up as she wrapped her long legs around his waist. He carried her the short distance across the room, his body pressed against hers until he carefully lowered her onto the bed.  
  
“Juggie, I really want to carry on but I’m having trouble keeping my eyes open. Is it ok if we continue this later? I’m really sorry,” Betty mumbled into his ear. Jughead could hear the sleep weighing down her voice and had no problem complying.  
  
“You have nothing to be sorry about,” he whispered back, content that she felt secure enough around him to tell him how she was feeling. She crawled across the bed and snuggled under the covers, patting the space next to her to encourage Jughead to slide in next to her. He did just that, wrapping his arms around her as her eyes fluttered closed once more.  
  
“Good night Betts,” he murmured into her hair, kissing the top of her head lightly. He took a moment to remember this feeling before closing his eyes to the world and joining her in dreamless slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a kudos if you liked this chapter and a comment with any feedback, I really want to know what you guys think!
> 
> Feel free to contact me on my Tumblr with anything related (or unrelated) to the story at daisy-chain-gardens


	8. The Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm back! I didn't go anywhere but I feel really bad for not posting in over a week. I've had really bad writer's block and I wasn't happy with anything that I was writing so hopefully this makes up for it! Please let me know what you think :)  
> (unbeta'd)

**31st December**

The sun streamed in through the large windows which lined the walls of their room. Betty shifted against Jughead, opening her eyes slightly to shoot the windows a wicked look, sadly not fixing the problem. She started to pull back the sheets so she could go and pull the blinds down but Jughead held her tightly, not wanting to let her go.

“Babe, where are you going?” He mumbled, sleep clear in his voice.

“I was just going to pull the blind so we could sleep for a bit longer. It’s only 8 o’clock,” she mumbled back, not sure if she could be bothered trying to get up again now that she comfortably surrounded by Jughead’s long arms.

“No, stay here. You’re keeping me warm,” he said lazily, eyes still closed. Betty didn’t need much convincing. She shifted once more, resting her head on his chest and tracing small circles on his shoulder. He automatically moved his hand and ran his fingers through her hair, his other arm still wrapped around her.

“Can we stay here forever?” Betty’s voice was muffled by Jug’s shirt but he still heard her loud and clear. A small smile played on his lips at the thought. “Or at least until V forces us to get ready for the party tonight.” Jughead chuckled slightly, the vibrations shooting through Betty, leaving her feeling warm and fuzzy all over. 

“Guess you’d better get up then, you know how seriously Ron takes her party prep,” Jughead quipped, voice serious but eyes twinkling as he looked down at her. Betty leaned up onto her arms, hovering over Jughead before brushing her lips against his. It only lasted a second but she didn’t pull away, keeping her face just inches from his. She looked into his eyes and Jughead could feel the sly smile that was forming on her lips. 

“I think we’ve got some time.” Her voice was low and sultry, not trace of the tiredness she had been feeling just moments before. He lifted his head off the pillow slightly, his hands moving to the back of her head to pull her down ontop of him. The kiss was slow, lips pressing together lazily, eyelids fluttering, hands wandering aimlessly. Eventually Betty pulled away, leaving them both gasping for breath, chests rising and falling against one another. Jughead suddenly flipped Betty over, a loud squeal escaping her lips as he hovered over her. 

“Hey,” he breathed out, so quietly that she wouldn’t have heard him if his lips hadn’t been brushing against the shell of her ear. 

“Hey,” Betty replied shakily, unable to steady her breath as Jughead moved down slightly to place small kisses on her neck, his teeth gently grazing her skin. She moved her hands from the sheets to run through Jughead’s dark hair. Just as he was moving back up to kiss Betty’s soft lips, she froze.

“Everything ok babe?” Jughead asked, his voice heavy with concern as he pulled away from his girlfriend, worried that he’d done something wrong. Betty quickly pushed him off her and rolled over to face away from him. Jughead lay there in shock, a million scenarios running through his head as to what may have caused Betty’s sudden change of heart. His question was answered when the door flew open, revealing Ronnie carrying a large tray piled high with breakfast foods. 

“Rise and shine, we’ve got a big day ahead of us. I thought you two might like some breakfast in bed since I’ll have to steal B for most of the day,” Veronica chirped, placing the tray on the small dresser next to Jughead before sitting down on the bed at his feet. Betty rolled back over to face her host sister and reluctantly sat up, trying to pretend that she’d only just woken up. A knowing look crossed Jughead’s face as he suddenly realised what she was doing.

“Cut the act B, don’t think I don’t know what was going on. I could hear you giggling a mile away. Plus you’re wearing his shirt and you two have been sleeping in the same bed all week. You two aren’t as sneaky as you think you are,” Ronnie said matter-of-factly. Betty stopped mid stretch, cheeks flushing bright red. She didn’t even need to look at Jughead to know that his face matched hers. 

“Anyway, back to what I was saying before. B, we have a spa appointment at 11am and then we have to leave for the party at 7pm so it’s gonna be a tight schedule. I have nothing to wear so we’ll have to get Smithers to drive us around so I can find something alright? Good. My usual makeup artist is on holiday so we’ll just have to make do. Do you want me to do yours?” Betty took a moment to process all of the information Veronica was telling her, her mind still a bit fuzzy at the thought the Ronnie had caught them.

“No thanks V, I think I’ll manage. Is there anything I need to do before 11?” The blonde asked politely, her cheeks still flaming.

“Nothing for me at least,” Ronnie replied, looking pointedly at Jughead who rolled his eyes, trying not to think about what she was implying. “I’ll leave you to it. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she sang over her shoulder, making a big show of closing the door behind her. Betty collapsed back into the pillows, a mortified look on her face. Jughead chuckled and pulled her back into his chest, fingers running through her hair again, knowing that she found it relaxing.

“It’s ok Betts, you know she was only kidding,” he tried to point out.

“I know. And I know she doesn’t care but I still feel weird, you know? This is all so new to me, to us, and I’m not really ready for other people to know. It doesn’t really make sense bu-”

“Betts, it’s perfectly acceptable for you to not want Ron prying into every aspect of our relationship. I’m just teasing you. I think you look cute with your face all red like that anyway,” Jughead joked, causing her to look up at him a scrunch her nose up.

“Shut up,” Betty said playfully, leaning her head back onto his chest. 

“Oh come on, you know you love me.”

“Meh.” Jughead’s hands flew to her sides, tickling her lightly as she giggled and squirmed under his touch.

“Juggie! Stop!” If she hadn’t been laughing so hard it might have almost sounded threatening. Jughead’s arms moved back around her and Betty’s head lay once more on his chest, finding the steady rise and fall of his breathing oddly comforting. They stayed there for a long while, wrapped up in each other’s arms and looking out over the city, watching the people moving below them. At some point, Jughead leant down and placed a soft kiss on the top of Betty’s head. She turned slightly, blue eyes meeting green.

“What was that for?” She asked softly, a confused smile on her face. 

“Because I love you,” he stated, his smile now matching Betty’s. She kissed him slowly before leaning her forehead against his.

“I love you,” she whispered. Betty sat up and pulled the sheets back, managing to resist Jughead’s complaints at her absence. She quickly got changed before giving Jughead one last kiss and heading out the door, mentally preparing herself to spend the rest of the day with Ronnie after their encounter that morning.

* * *

“Ok B, time to spill. Tell me everything,” Ronnie demanded, putting extra emphasis on the last word and looking at Betty pointedly. 

“Everything about what?” The blonde asked obliviously, hoping that Ronnie would drop the subject if she didn’t answer but knowing there was no way in hell that Veronica would let Betty leave the spa without answering her questions. 

“The weather. I’m really fascinated by New York snow patterns,” The raven haired girl said blankly. “What do you think B? What’s happened with you and Jug over the last few days? I haven’t seen much of you lately.” She raised one eyebrow in question, staring Betty down.

“It’s been incredible. I’ve had the best time V. Thank you so much for bringing him out here,” Betty replied, still trying to dodge Ronnie’s question. It wasn’t that she felt uncomfortable talking to Veronica about that kind of stuff, after everything that Ronnie had told her she wasn’t worried about being judged or anything. It was just that Betty was so … inexperienced. The makeout session which Veronica had interrupted that morning was the furthest Betty had gone with anyone so she just wasn’t really used to talking about that kind of stuff, even with Kevin.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re welcome. Now spill, I want all the juicy details.” A huge smile crossed Betty’s face as she talked about the last few days she’d spent with her boyfriend, Veronica interrupting every couple of minutes to let Betty know how adorable she thought they were. 

“If that’s all that happened, why were you blushing so much this morning?” Ronnie asked, confused. 

“I don’t know. I’m just, not really used to those kind of situations,” Betty said timidly, her gaze fixed on her nails which were currently being painted with french tips.

“B, don’t worry about it. You know that you don’t have to be embarrassed about that kind of stuff with me. I just want you to be happy, and it’s pretty obvious that Jug feels the same way. He looks at you like you hung the stars in the sky, it’s pretty incredible really. Don’t stress if you aren’t moving at a pace which everyone else expects you to.” Ronnie finished her mini speech with a soft smile, wanting to give Betty a hug but unable to given their current situation.

“Thanks V, for everything,” Betty replied, finally meeting Veronica's eyes and matching her expression. The two girls gossiped and laughed for the remainder of their appointment, the steamy steamy details of a certain relationship between the hitchcock blonde and the beanie boy all but forgotten. 

\--------------------

Jughead appeared in the living room a few minutes after the girls had left. Archie was already there, a stupid smile on his face as he scrolled through his phone, oblivious to other boy’s entrance. 

“Hey Arch,” Jughead said watching in amusement as Archie practically jumped out of his chair, dropping his phone onto the floor. 

“Jeez Jug, you scared me,” Archie muttered, reluctantly moving from his seat to retrieve his precious phone. Jughead smirked, swiping a caramel cookie from the tray on the coffee table and swiftly taking a bite.

“That was the plan,” Jughead pointed out, his mouth still full. “Did you have any plans today? I have a feeling the girls are gonna be gone for a while.”

“Probably, knowing Ronnie. You up for video games? I think I left some here last time we were here…” Archie trailed off, looking through the numerous cabinets for a few minutes before a triumphant look crossed his face. “Here we go. Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto?” 

“I don’t care, you choose,” Jughead shrugged. Archie busied himself setting up the controllers as Jughead steadily worked his way through the plate of cookies. They sat down on the couch and played in silence. The only noise in the apartment was that of gunshots and car tyres, interrupted occasionally by one of them shouting instructions. 

A few hours later, Jughead’s phone chimed next to him, bringing both of the boys out of their determined mindset and back to reality. Archie paused the game, unsure if he’d ever seen Jughead move so quickly to see his phone and chuckled softly at the sight. 

_Betts: How’s your day going? If V tries to relax me anymore I think I might fall asleep._ A small smile crossed Jughead’s face as he quickly typed out a reply. Archie watched his friend curiously, he’d never seen that soft look on Jughead’s face as him and Betty texted back and forth. 

_Betts: Ok, now I really have to go._ V’s starting to try on shoes and we all know how long that can take. Jughead smiled once more before putting his phone down and turning his attention back to Archie.

“Betty surviving without you?” Archie asked teasingly, ignoring Jughead’s unspoken plea to continue playing. 

“And I thought I was supposed to be the sarcastic one.” Jughead said, trying to keep the smile off his face at the mention of his girlfriend.

“But seriously dude, how are things going with you two? You seem to be getting pretty serious.” 

“Things are … well, things are pretty amazing, if I’m honest. I’m really happy with her Arch.” Jughead smiled nervously at Archie, not really sure when they’d become the kind of friends that talk about their relationships but not really minding. 

“I’m really happy for you Jug. After everything you’ve been through with … you know. You deserve to be happy.” Archie’s words, spoken and unspoken, hung in the air, weighing down the silence that had fallen over them. 

“Thanks Arch, that means a lot to me. You know that you’re practically my brother but thanks anyway for just … being there. It’s a lot more than anyone else could do. “ Jughead finished with a scoff, his expression turning sour as he thought about his parents.

“No problem ‘bro’,” Archie grinned, slapping Jughead on the shoulder.

“Alright, that’s enough heart to heart for one lifetime. I need to shoot something, start the stupid game,” Jughead said, his voice laced with mock anger but his expression gave him away. They turned away from each other and refocused their attention on the screen, settling back into their previous silence. 

\--------------------

Several hours later, the two girls collapsed into the apartment, Veronica’s whole body weight resting on Betty.

“Archie!” Betty yelled into the apartment, not sure where the boys were and too lazy to look for them and carry Veronica at the same time. “I need some help!” Archie practically sprinted into the room, a worried look on his face.

“What happened? Is she ok? Ron, what happened? Do you need me to get something?” Betty burst into laughter, Archie’s concern now replaced by confusion as he carefully moved Veronica to lean against his shoulder.

“Calm down Arch, everything’s fine. V just made the dumb mistake of wearing her new heels while we were walking around. Her feet are now covered in blisters and she claims that she can no longer walk and insisted I carry her in and out of the elevator,” Betty said, wiping her eyes which were wet with tears. Jughead sauntered into the room at that very second, seeing her teas and jumping to his own conclusions.

“Babe, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Betty burst out laughing again while Ronnie and Archie exchanged a look. 

“Oh my goodness. Everything’s fine. You guys really need to chill out,” Betty teased.

“Hang on a sec, did I just hear Jughead Jones say babe?” Veronica asked, her mouth open in shock. This time it was Archie’s turn to burst out laughing, both at his girlfriend’s surprise and the ridiculousness of Jughead’s actions.

“Oh man, I am gonna give you so much shit over this,” Archie managed to get out between tears as he laughed with his whole body whilst still managing to keep Ronnie upright. 

“Ok, well I think that’s my queue to go,” Jughead said before quickly leaving the room, hoping that his friend’s would drop it but knowing they wouldn’t let him live it down. Betty followed after him, slipping her hand into his and kissing Jughead on the cheek as soon as she caught up to him.

“Hey,” she whispered to him as soon as they got into their room.

“Hey,” he whispered right back, kissing her lips softly. “You sure you’re ok? You look a bit tired.” Jughead said, brushing her hair out of her face so his eyes could met hers. 

“I’m exhausted. Ronnie is an amazing friend but she never slows down for a second, I don’t know how she does it.” Betty flopped down onto the bed and Jughead lay down facing her. 

“We have a couple of hours until the party. Anything you want to do?” Jughead asked quietly, running his fingers along her cheek. Betty placed her hand over his and closed her eyes momentarily, revelling in the feeling of his touch.

“I think I might take a nap. Can you wake me up in an hour?” Betty’s voice was already sounding drowsy and her eyes stayed closed. Jughead chuckled to himself, admiring how adorable she looked when she was half asleep. 

“Of course,” he replied, kissing her forehead gently. He sat up against the pillows beside her and grabbed his book off the dresser, quickly getting lost in the words. 

\--------------------

Betty woke up slowly, rubbing her eyes so she could get a better look at the sight before her. Jughead was sitting next to her, a book open on his lap as his eyes scanned the ink covered pages, too absorbed by the words to notice that his beanie had somehow fallen off his head and onto the pillows behind him. She reached out and brushed that one stubborn strand out of his eyes. He turned his head to look at her, a small smile playing on his lips. 

“Hey.”

“Hey. Have a good nap?” Jughead asked softly, smiling down at her. 

“The best. The only problem is that now I don’t want to get out of bed,” Betty complained, closing her eyes once more. 

“We have a couple of hours until the party if you want to sleep some more,” Jughead suggested.

“If I fall asleep again you’ll never wake me up,” Betty pointed out drowsily, tracing mindless patterns on the blanket Jughead had put over his legs. Jughead chuckled, knowing that she wasn’t kidding. “I probably need to start getting ready. Who know how long it’s gonna take me to sort of this mess,” Betty said, gesturing to her hair. Jughead let out a soft laugh, loving how comfortable she was around him. She pressed a soft his to his lips before dragging herself off the bed, walking into the bathroom and shutting the door.

Betty emerged an hour later, causing Jughead to look up from his book, an awestruck look on his face. Her hair fell in soft golden curls around her shoulders, several clips pinning back the front to keep it out of her face. Jughead was clueless when it came to makeup but knew that she must’ve been wearing some because her eyes looked like they were actually sparkling. Her dress left her shoulders bare and cinched in at the waist, the black fabric flowing down to stop just above her knees.

“Can you help me zip my dress up?” Betty asked timidly, holding the fabric across her chest to prevent it from slipping. Jughead nodded before swallowing hard, not really trusting his words. He moved slowly from the bed and walked over to her, wanting to remember every detail of this moment. Betty turned around once Jughead reached her pulling her hair over one shoulder to keep it out of his was. His slim fingers delicately pulled up the zipper, placing a soft kiss on her shoulder once it reached the top. 

“You are breath taking,” he whispered in her ear. He could feel her breathing shallow as she turned around to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling her body closer to his. 

“I love you Jughead.” A switch must have flipped because all of a sudden Betty’s long legs were wrapped around his waist, forcing them closer as their lips crashed together. Jughead stumbled forwards, carefully lowering Betty onto the bed before she dragged him down on top of her. 

“I love you Betty.” His lips escaped hers only to trail down her neck. Her hands came down to the hem of his shirt and swiftly pulled it over his head, smiling giddily at him when he pulled back to help her. Betty lifted her hands up to his face to bring his lips back down to hers, letting her hands roam down his toned arms.

“B! We need to go in half an hour, you ready?” Veronica yelled out from the other side of the door. Betty jumped at the sound of her voice, jumping about an inch of the bed and pushing Jughead off her, looking cautiously at the door as if Ronnie could see what they were doing. Jughead looked down at her with a stupid grin on his face, completely amused by her reaction.

“Ahh not yet V! Almost there, I’ll be done in a few.” Betty’s voice sounded like she was on edge and Jughead wouldn’t be surprised if Veronica had figured out what was going on.

“Do you want me to come in and help?”

“NO! I mean, that’s ok V, I got it covered.” Jughead fell back down onto the bed beside her, using a pillow to muffle his laughter at the look of complete terror on Betty’s face. 

“Ok B. See you soon,” Veronica called back. Betty waited until she heard the telltale clicking of Ronnie’s heels fade into the living room before rolling over into Jughead and burying her face into his stomach, trying and failing to hide her embarrassment. Jughead laughed once more before leaning down to place another kiss on the top of her head, trying to ignore how his bare stomach felt like it was on fire as she leant against it. 

“I better go get changed before she comes back,” Jughead said, removing himself from under Betty, sending her a teasing wink when she looked up at him.

“I should probably fix my hair,” Betty mumbled as she hopped up off the bed and went back into the bathroom. 

\--------------------

The couple appeared in the living room half an hour later, hand in hand as they strolled down the corridor.

“OMG, B! You look absolutely stunning!” Ronnie exclaimed, running over to give Betty a hug. The two started chatting about something makeup related and Archie and Jughead met each other's eye, both wearing the same bewildered expression. Eventually they got out the door, the girls leading the way to the car as the boys followed along behind, conversation flowing easily. 

The car arrived about half an hour later at a large apartment building on the Upper East Side. The four of the got out of the car and rode the elevator up to the penthouse suite. Jughead looked down at his girlfriend standing next to him, a vacant look on her face. 

“You ok Betts?” He whispered into her ear even though Veronica and Archie were paying too much attention to each other to notice what their friends were doing. 

“Yeah I’m ok.” She sent him a small but grateful smile before leaning her head onto his shoulder, one of the many perks of her wearing high heels. “I’m just not really a big fan of parties, they kind of … set me off,” Betty said timidly, keeping her head on his shoulder and avoiding his eye contact. 

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do,” Jughead said quietly into her hair before kissing her forehead. The elevator doors whooshed open and Betty took a deep breath before following Archie out into the apartment. With the ‘hostess’ being a friend of Veronica’s, Betty probably should have expected a grand apartment filled with extravagant belongings but it still caught her off guard. Despite having lived with the Lodges for almost four months, Betty still wasn’t used to the life that they lived and the extreme wealth of the people they surrounded themselves with would never cease to amaze her. 

“Veronica! I’m so glad you came! It really has been too long. Would you like something to drink?” A tall red headed girl with a plastic smile swept Ronnie away, leaving Betty and Jughead alone as Archie trailed along behind his girlfriend. They stood still for a while, taking in the screechy electronic music playing over the speaker, a noise which seemed so juxtaposed to the apartment Betty almost laughed. Someone had rearranged the furniture in the middle of the large living area to form a makeshift dance floor. It was already full of numerous teenagers, all dressed up to the nines in dresses and suits which Betty couldn’t even begin to estimate the price of, jumping around to the music and pressing against each other, reminding Betty of every bad american teen film she’d ever watched. Small appertisers and expensive alcohol sat on a table off to the side, Veronica still talking to the red head, nodding along enthusiastically to something she was saying whilst Archie’s eyes scanned the food, deciding what to eat next.

“Do you want to go and sit down Betts?” Jughead asked her, his hand resting securely on her lower back. She nodded up at him and he gently steered her towards some empty chairs that were set up in a corner. They sat down and watched everyone move around them for a while, Jughead’s thumb rubbing small circles on Betty’s back. Eventually, Veronica and Archie came over to join them. 

“Ok, so I get that this is Ava’s party and all but could she be more boring? Honestly! We were talking for at least half an hour but I couldn’t tell you what it was about,” Ronnie exclaimed, dramatically collapsing into the chair next to Betty. The blonde let out a small laugh at her friend’s theatrics as Archie draped an arm around Ronnie’s shoulders, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. 

“So, anyway, the reason we really came over here was to tell you two to get you butts on the dance floor. I didn’t bring you to an Upper East Side party just to sit in the corner.” Ronnie held her hand out for Betty to take, an impatient look on her face. Betty looked across at Jughead who was rolling his eyes playfully, before accepting her friend’s outstretched hand. For the second time that night, the boys followed along behind their girlfriends. Veronica danced with Betty for about thirty seconds before moving onto Archie, joining in on the semi inappropriate dancing which everyone else seemed to be doing as well. Betty turned to Jughead who was standing next to one of the couches, watching her carefully. She motioned for him to come over and he reluctantly complied.

The couple jumped up and down a lot, neither really comfortable with everyone else’s style of dance to do much more than that. A few songs later, Jughead went off to get them something to drink. Veronica and Archie were still dancing next to Betty so she carried on jumping, quite happy in her own little bubble. A large group of guests arrived a few minutes later, Jughead still hadn’t returned. It wasn’t until moments later that she started to freak out. The new group of people had come straight onto the dance floor making the space feel more like a shoebox than an enormous apartment. She stopped jumping and tried to steady her breathing, feeling her nails curl into her palms. 

_1, 2, 3_

_1, 2, 3_

The walls felt like they were closing in and she squeezed her fists tighter, hoping it would keep them at bay. Her lungs felt like clay and everything seemed a little bit fuzzy as she looked around her, searching for Jughead. Where was he?

“Betty? Betty are you ok?” She was vaguely aware of Archie’s voice next to her but she wasn’t really sure if it was real or just in her head. She felt someone place a steady hand on her shoulder and she leant into it, her legs finally giving up.

_1, 2, 3_

_1, 2, 3_

“Betty? I’m going to pick you up, ok? Tell me if that makes you uncomfortable and I’ll stop, alright?” That was definitely Archie’s voice. Maybe. She nodded her head slightly and then felt her feet leave the ground. Betty could make out shapes and colours but everything else was blurry. She felt something wet on her cheeks and figured it was her tears but she had no way of knowing for sure, her arms felt too heavy to lift up and check. 

_1, 2, 3_

_1, 2, 3_

She managed to get her breathing steady enough to focus slightly on what was around her. All that Betty knew was that she was in a dimly lit room with lots of white, and she was sitting on something solid. Archie was standing in front of her, talking to someone on the phone. 

“Yeah, yeah, second door on the right. Hurry up. I think she’s coming out of it but I don’t really know what to do.” Archie held the phone to his ear for a few more seconds before dropping it to his side. Seconds later the door flew open, a frantic Jughead rushing into the room.

“Betty, oh my god. Are you ok?” Jughead asked, a little out of breath. He was careful not to touch her but ducked down slightly so his eyes were level with hers.

“Betts, I need you to try and copy my breathing ok?” Jughead’s voice was now calm, realising what must have happened to Betty based on the wild look in her eyes. The room went quiet for a few minutes, the only thing she could hear was Jughead’s steady breaths as she tried to imitate him. 

“Is it ok if I clean up your hands Betty?” Jughead asked softly. She took one more deep breath before nodding in response. She could hear running water right next to her but she kept looking straight ahead.

_1, 2, 3_

Betty felt Jughead gently take her hand and hold it under the water. It stung a bit as the water ran through the cuts, washing the blood down the drain. She finally turned and looked at Jughead, watching him as he paid careful attention to her palms, trying to avoid the cuts as much as possible. A bathroom. She was sitting in a bathroom. A very white and very clean bathroom. 

“Thank you Jughead,” Betty croaked, her voice stuck in her throat. He turned his gaze to look at her, meeting her eyes and smiling sadly. “It was too much. Too many people, too much noise, too many fake smiles. I just, I just snapped.” She looked down at her palms which Jughead was patting dry with a towel, careful not to get any dirt where her nails had dug in.

“We can talk about this another time if you want to Betts. You’re probably exhausted.” He looked up at her again, that same sad expression in her eyes. 

“Thank you Jughead,” she repeated. “Can you please hold me for a minute.” Betty’s voice was no longer hoarse. Now it sounded small, defeated. Jughead stood in front of her and wrapped his arms around her, one hand around her waist and the other on the back of her neck, holding her as though he never wanted to let her go. He could feel her tears staining his shirt but he thought nothing of it, all he could think about was how she was and how it was all his fault. If he hadn’t left her alone then none of this would have happened. 

“I’m ok,” she said in a slightly dazed manner, almost as if she had only heard his question she had asked him minutes ago. “I’m ok.” He let her go and kissed her softly on the forehead, annoyed that he couldn’t tell what she needed.

“It’s not your fault Juggie.” Betty reached up and ran her fingers along his jawline, almost as if she was checking if he was real or not. He sent her a small smile which seemed slightly less sad than before. 

“You wanna get out of here?” She nodded at him and he helped her get down from her seat on the bathroom counter. One of his hands stayed around her waist, just like when they had arrived but it felt different now, safer. It helped her feel more secure. Jughead helped her walk through the apartment back towards the elevator. Betty kept her eyes trained on the floor the whole time but she could feel Jughead looking around for Veronica and Archie, giving a slight nod when he located them. 

Smithers was waiting for them by the time they got downstairs. Jughead made polite conversation with him during the drive back to the apartment, both of them knowing that Betty wasn’t really in the state to do anything else that night, despite it only being ten o’clock. Her legs were starting to feel slightly more normal and she probably could’ve walked to the elevator by herself but she didn’t want Jughead to let go. 

They silently made their way to their bedroom as soon as they set foot in the apartment, Jughead leaving her to get changed while he got her some water. She was all snuggled up under the blankets by the time he got back and she accepted the glass with a grateful smile. He got changed in the bathroom before sliding in next to her and placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

“You are the bravest person I have ever met,” he whispered into her hair, kissing her once more. She sent him a small smile, unsure if she would ever be able to tell him how much it meant to hear those words come out of his mouth. She moved over so that her head was leaning on his chest, the blankets still wrapped tightly around them.

“Do you think you could read to me for a bit Juggie? Just until I fall asleep.” Her voice was small and timid but Jughead didn’t think he could ever say no to her.

“Anything for you Betts,” he replied, looking down a her momentarily before reaching over to grab his book, opening it up to the page he read last. Less than ten minutes later, he heard her breathing soften and looked down to see Betty fast asleep, her breathing matching his. He moved gently to turn out the light, placing his book back on the dresser. He kissed her forehead once more before falling into a deep sleep filled with dreams of blonde hair and black dresses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you very much for reading. Please leave kudos and a comment if you enjoyed it :)
> 
> Feel free to talk to me on tumblr at daisy-chain-gardens
> 
> Just a bit of a heads up; this chapter is probably as smutty as it's going to get. I feel really uncomfortable writing smut so if Betty and Jughead do have sex at some point (and let's be honest, it'll probably be soon) it'll just be implied as opposed to described. Thank you for understanding.


	9. The New Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I was feeling inspired so here's the new chapter. This chapter's got a bit of everything so I hope you like it. Let me know what you think :)  
> (unbeta'd)

Betty woke up when she felt Jughead moving underneath her. Her eyes fluttered open slowly and instantly found his.

“Hey,” Betty mumbled, sleep thick in her voice and a small smile on her lips. 

“Hey.” Jughead placed a soft kiss on her forehead and she snuggled further into his chest, wrapping the blankets tighter around them. “Do you need anything?” he asked, his words quiet but full of concern. 

“Just you,” she whispered into his shirt, her eyes closing once more. He held her tightly, his fingers drawing mindless patterns on her back. They stayed like that until Betty’s voice broke through the noise of the city which somehow managed to fill the room.

“I haven’t had an attack in two years,” Betty whispered. Jughead’s fingers continued to move over her back, his head tilting slightly down towards her, her gaze stuck on the wall. “I used to get them quite frequently, once every couple of weeks. Nothing obvious set them off but I was just overwhelmed. My mum was always getting me to volunteer and join school clubs and stay fit and get excellences and it just all got too much. Digging my nails into my palms was my way of coping. It made me feel like I could hold onto something, to have control over it.

My mum took me to a doctor after I had my first attack at school, heaven forbid something tarnish the Cooper name.” Betty’s voice was full of disgust and sorrow, tears silently falling down her cheeks onto Jughead’s shirt. “The doctor was nice but couldn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know but my mum just kept pushing. I think that she was compensating for Polly, she’d left home about six months before an something in her kind of just … snapped. She became cold and goal oriented. Everything that we did had to be perfect to make people forget about Polly, the rogue daughter who had always been up to no good. 

I had quite a bad attack one day at home and ended up having to go to the hospital. The doctors told mum that I needed to take a bit of a break, drop a few extracurriculars and maybe take a few days off school to rest. I didn’t get the days off school but mum seemed to finally realise what was going on and let me resign from a few clubs and things. Since then I’ve managed to deal with it a lot better and I even convinced my mum to let me come here, telling her it would look good on my university applications but really just needing to get away from home. Some of the kids at school weren’t the nicest about my anxiety and then some others still saw me as that perfect girl next door. 

Everything’s been fine but I’ve just been really tired lately and my mum has been constantly badgering me about school and what happens when I come back home and then at the party with so many people I just snapped. I’m really sorry that you had to deal with that.” Betty’s voice was slightly stronger once she finished speaking, shifting her gaze from the wall to Jughead, her green eyes getting lost in the depths of the oceans which seemed to fill his. 

“You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about Betts,” Jughead whispered as he brushed her hair out of her face. She sat up slightly, arms still wrapped around his torso as her lips fell against his. The kiss was soft but Betty got easily lost in it, pouring out her heart and soul as his mouth moved against hers. He pulled away slightly, resting his forehead against hers, his eyes still closed. 

“You are still the bravest person I know.” Those were the words that destroyed the tough facade she had been trying to keep up. The soft tears that had fallen before now turned into floods, her sobs ringing out across the room. Betty fell back into him, his head resting on top of hers as he softly ran his fingers through her hair, his other arm securely wrapped around her shoulders. Betty didn’t understand it, how could Jughead still love her when he knew how screwed up she was? He now knew her darkest secrets and he was still there, holding her tightly as she fell apart in his arms. 

Jughead’s whispered promises were barely heard over her tears but he said them anyway, never wanting Betty to think for even a second that he would love her any less because of her demons, lord knows he had his fair share. Her cries quieted down after a long while but Jughead never stopped whispering. She placed a soft kiss on his shoulder once she was calm enough to speak again, moving slightly so she could look up at him. 

“Jug, how did you know what to do last night?” The question had been swimming around in her head since the night before but she wasn’t sure if he wanted to talk about it.

“Oh, um, well my sister used to get panic attacks. Whenever my parents fought I would try to distract her. Watch some cartoons, play with her dolls, read to her, anything really that would take her mind off what was happening on the other side of the walls. It … it didn’t always work. Sometimes she would get panic attacks and I was the only one around to calm her down,” Jughead said sadly. His gaze was set on Betty but he was too caught up in his thoughts to really see her. She pressed another soft kiss on the underside of his chin, breaking him out of his memories. 

“I love you, Juggie.” She murmured before he once again pressed his lips on hers. She snuggled back into his arms, no more need for tears as they held each other. 

“You should really be thanking Arch, he’s the one who got you into the bathroom in the first place,” Jughead said quietly, not wanting to ever let go of Betty but knowing that it had to be done.

“Just a few more minutes.”

\--------------------

The two of them emerged from their room a short while later, Jughead holding Betty’s hand tightly as they walked into the living room where Veronica and Archie were already sitting on the couch.

“Hey guys,” Betty said quietly, not wanting to startle her friends and not sure how much louder her voice could go. Her throat was still dry from all of the tears she’d shed. Jughead untangled his fingers from hers and placed it gently on the small of her back, rubbing slightly in small circles.

“Hey B, you feeling ok?” Ronnie asked, concern clear in her voice. Betty could tell that she wanted to come up and give her a hug but she was glad she didn’t. She didn’t want to feel like everyone was feeling sorry for her and she was pretty sure that Ronnie hugging her would bring on another round of tears. 

“I’m ok V. Just a bit tired and my throat’s a bit sore but other than that I’m good as gold,” Betty said with a small chuckle. She felt like she was as far from gold as you could get. Betty felt the absence of Jughead’s hand on her back and turned to look at him. He gave her a reassuring smile and walked calmly into the kitchen.

“You feel like something to eat B? Smithers brought up more than enough, as per normal. If you want I can go and get you something,” Ronnie said, standing up from her spot on the couch and turning towards the door Jughead had just disappeared through. 

“That sounds amazing V, thank you.” Veronica kissed her on the cheek as she walked past, leaving Archie and Betty alone in the large room. She slowly made her way over to the couch and sat down next to Archie, turning slightly to face him but keeping her eyes trained on a stray couch cushion.

“Thank you, Arch, for last night. I know I can be a bit scary when I have … when I’m like that but thank you for helping me.” Betty’s voice was still quiet but Archie could hear her loud and clear in the otherwise silent room. He reached a hand up and placed it cautiously on her shoulder, meeting her with a smile when she lifted her head to look at him.

“Your welcome Betty. I know you’d probably rather talk to Jughead or Ronnie but if you ever need to talk, I’m here for you,” Archie said softly. Betty smiled at him before leaning forward and hugging him tightly.

“Thanks Arch.” They both pulled apart as they heard footsteps coming out of the kitchen, Betty sending Archie one last grateful smile before she was bombarded by Ronnie and a giant tray of breakfast.

\--------------------

Their last day in New York passed in the blink of an eye. They spent the whole afternoon ice skating, or trying to in Betty’s case, before Jughead made it his mission to find the biggest pizza in New York, with great success. The four of them only just managed to finish it that night as they watched old movies, eventually leading to all four of them falling asleep in various positions around the living room. Somehow, they’d all managed to pack their bags the next morning and were now in the back of the car, New York flying past their windows.

“I’m gonna miss New York,” Betty said quietly, eyes glued to the window as she tried to memorise every detail about the busy city. 

“I guess you’ll just have to come back then B. How does next Christmas sound?” Ronnie asked, a playful smile on her face. 

“Sounds like a plan,” Betty jokingly replied, a lazy smile on her face as she imagined a world where that was possible. They drove in silence for a while, all of them listening absentmindedly to a playlist Archie had put together whilst they got lost in their own thoughts. 

“Jug,” Betty whispered in his ear from where her head rested on his shoulder. He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head before she continued. “Do you know what grows in those fields?” She asked, looking out into the snow covered paddocks. Jughead smiled at the unexpected question, admiring her curiosity.

“I don’t know about the rest of the year but in April they’re covered in orange flowers. They stretch all the way back to those hills over there.” Betty’s face lit up at the thought, her head lifting off his shoulder so she could get a better look out of the frosty windows. 

“Maybe I’ll bring you back here when they’re blooming so you can see them for yourself,” Jughead suggested. Her expression was one of pure delight, causing a warm feeling to spread throughout Jughead and he couldn’t help but laugh as she pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

“I would love that Juggie,” she said quietly, eyes briefly meeting his before she leaned her head back on his shoulder. Ronnie, who was discreetly watching the couple from the other side of the car, couldn’t help the soft small that played on her lips at the sight of her two friends together. They seemed like they’d been together for a lifetime, lazy touches and whispered words always passed between the two whenever they were together, constant text messages when they were apart. Veronica couldn’t help but wonder if anyone had ever looked at her and Archie together and thought ‘yeah, they belong together. No doubt about it’. She looked down at her own boyfriend, leaning against the window with his mouth slightly open, his snores sounding faint over the music. She pressed a loving kiss to his cheek before pulling out a magazine and mindlessly flipping through the glossy pages.

\--------------------

“How strategic was it that you just happened to forget to mention this to me V?” Betty asked, eyebrows raised.

“Possibly very but it doesn’t matter, you’re coming. The New Year’s party at Thornhill is legendary and I will not let you get out of this. You wouldn’t want to miss out on any experiences now would you B?” Ronnie teased, a smug smile on her face when she knew she had Betty cornered.

“Fine, I’ll go. But only if I get to leave when I want. The idea of watching what sounds like our entire school getting drunk and hooking up with one another is not very appealing,” Betty tried to negotiate.

“You have to stay for at least an hour but I’ll let you bring Jughead.” Betty pretended to think about it for a second before replying.

“Deal.”

“You just got played, girlfriend. Jughead was already coming.” Ronnie stuck out her tongue playfully as Betty faked a scowl. 

“You suck.”

“Meh. I’ll live,” Ronnie replied, feigning disinterest as she looked at her nails, causing Betty to burst out laughing and Veronica to join in not much later. “Anyway, onto the important stuff, what are you going to wear? I have a skirt which will make your legs look incredible and then I’m sure we can find a cute top to go with.”

“Isn’t it a bit cold to be wearing a skirt V? It’s minus five and snowing,” Betty pointed out.

“I have no idea what minus five means but trust me B, it’ll be worth it. Jughead is going to swoon when he sees you in it.” Betty blushed at the thought, reluctantly agreeing to let Veronica pick her outfit.

“I have this red and blue top which you will look killer in. I can’t wait to see Jughead’s face,” Ronnie exclaimed, rushing into her room with a skip in her step, Betty laughing as she followed along. Ronnie ambushed her with the skirt and top as soon as she walked. “Put these on and then show me. We only have an hour until Archiekins is picking us up so we’ve gotta move quick.”

Betty went into her room and tried on the outfit. The top was a stripey crop top and Betty swore that she was missing part of the skirt. It was high waisted black leather and ended above her mid thigh. She shuffled back into Ronnie’s room, tugging on the skirt the whole time to try and prevent it from riding up.

“Oh my go B! Jughead’s gonna die when he sees you. Oh my god you look incredible! Wait there, let me take a photo.” Ronnie scurried around the room looking for her phone, looking slightly crazy with only half of her lipstick finished.

“You don’t think the skirt’s a bit short? I feel like I’m gonna flash someone accidentally.” Betty mumbled, hands still tightly gripping the hem.

“Relax B, you look incredible. Stop tugging at your skirt, your legs are honestly to die for,” Ronnie reassured her, somehow finishing off her lipstick at the same time. Betty sat on Veronica’s bed, watching her do her makeup in a practiced fashion. She’d never been very good at makeup and was always in awe of people who could be bothered with it everyday, especially with how much Ronnie wore. Betty swept her hair into a messy low ponytail and had just finished lacing up her sneakers when she heard a knock on the door.

“Can you get that B? I’ll be out in a minute,” Ronnie yelled from the bathroom. Betty stood up and walked to the door, finding Archie and Jughead waiting on the other side.

“Hey guys, come in. V’s just getting changed so I have no idea how long that’ll be.” Archie chuckled at her remark, obviously aware of how long it took his girlfriend to get ready. They all started walking into the living room but Betty was stopped by Jughead’s arms reaching around her waist, pulling her backwards into him.

“You look unbelievable Betts,” Jughead whispered in her ear, his voice thick with desire. He moved his arms from her waist and continued following Archie into the living room, acting so casual that Betty wondered if she’d imagined it. The wink he shot her way told her otherwise and her cheeks turned a dark red. Of course, Ronnie chose that moment to make her grand entrance. Archie stood up and kissed her cheek, whispering something in Veronica’s ear which Betty was thankful she couldn’t hear.

“You ok B, you look a bit flushed,” Ronnie asked. Betty glanced down at Jughead who was already looking up at her with a smug grin.

“Yeah I’m fine thanks V. Jug- , yeah I’m fine. You ready to go?” Betty asked quickly, hoping Ronnie wouldn’t ask any further questions. Veronica shot a quizzical look at Jughead who simply shrugged his shoulders in response, refusing to give anything away.

“If you say so B,” Ronnie replied, not sounding convinced. “And yes, I’m ready to go.” Archie’s arm wrapped around her waist as they walked out the front door. Jughead stood up and walked over to Betty, throwing his arm around her shoulder and following their friends, all of them zipping up their coats before bracing the cold evening.

\--------------------

They could hear the noise of the party long before Thornhill came into view. The black Gothic mansion looked very juxtaposed with the teenagers and cheap kegs that were crowded inside. Archie packed the car in the makeshift parking lot, tossing his keys to Jughead before making his way inside with Ronnie. 

“You gonna be ok Betts?” Jughead asked, practically yelling to be heard over the music. She nodded in response, kissing his cheek quickly before dragging him towards the front door. The music was even louder inside than it had been by the car and a wall of smoke hit them as soon as they crossed the threshold. Betty held Jughead’s hand tightly as they made their way through the crowd, moving towards the kitchen. Once there, they each grabbed a coke before heading out onto a balcony where it seemed to be slightly less crowded. 

“You doing ok babe?” Jughead asked as soon as they got outside. He had noticed that her breathing was slightly rushed and she hadn’t stopped squeezing his hand since they arrived.

“Can we stay out here for a bit? I’m doing ok now but I don’t know how long I’ll last if we go inside,” Betty admitted, finding it strange but freeing to be able to talk about this with him. 

“Anything you want Betts.” She leant up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, holding his gaze for a minute before turning to face away from the house. 

“It’s really pretty here,” Betty pointed out. A large forest stretched behind Thornhill, the bare branches trapping the snow and making it look like someone had painted all of the trees white. Jughead moved behind her and hung his arms over her shoulder, his chin resting on her head. Before he could reply, a few guys from the football team joined them on the balcony, several of them obviously drunk despite the fact that the party had only just begun.

“You wanna go for a walk?” Jughead moved his head so he could talk in her ear, not wanting the other guys to hear in case they started something stupid. She nodded and reached for his hand, holding it tightly once again as they retraced their, walking out the front door and strolling around the house.

“I know I said it before, Betts, but you look stunning tonight,” Jughead said as soon as they got far enough away from the music that they could have a proper conversation. 

“You’re just trying to make me blush again aren’t you?” Betty asked, unable to hide her smile. 

“You got me all figured out,” he said with a smile, dropping a quick kiss to her lips before continuing their stroll. They got about halfway around the house before either of them spoke again.

“What do you think’s in that building?” Betty wondered aloud, pointing to a large shed halfway between the house and the forest.

“Do you want to have a look?” He asked. She thought about it for a moment before nodding and following him towards it. The door was unlocked and opened easily. Warm air greeted them as they stepped into the building and Betty’s face lit up in delight.

“It’s a pool! Oh, that’s so awesome! I wish I had my own private pool.” Jughead chuckled at her behaviour, finding it completely endearing how childish she could be at times.

“You want to go for a swim?” Jughead turned to her with a boyish grin, happier than he ever thought he could be on Blossom territory. 

“I didn’t bring my togs,” Betty replied, slightly confused as to what he was thinking. His grin disappeared and was replaced by a different look which Betty had only seen a handful of times; desire, want, need. Jughead walked towards her slowly, stopping when he was just millimetres away from touching her.

“I think we’ll make do.” Betty barely had time to register the meaning behind his words before his lips were crashing onto hers. His hands moved down to her thighs and hitched her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her skirt now riding up dangerously high but Betty didn’t care. Jughead walked over and placed her on one of the tables which lined the room, moving his hands from her thighs to the hem of her shirt, their lips never parting. He kept his fingers still, waiting for permission, before pulling it over her head in one swift motion as soon as she nodded her head.

Her hands ran through his hair, knocking his beanie to the floor and she deepened the kiss, needing to be closer to him but not sure if that was physically possible. Jughead started to remove his own shirt but Betty beat him to it, pulling away slightly to help him get it over his head and admiring the messy way that his hair was sticking up in all directions. 

“I love you,” Betty breathed before his lips were on hers again. She started loosening his belt, pulling it through the loops as quick as she could before undoing the button on his jeans. They fell to the floor and he stepped out of them hastily, toeing off his shoes and socks at the same time. She somehow managed to do the same before wrapping her legs back around his waist once more.

“I love you,” he whispered back. She reached for the zipper on her skirt, pulling it down herself since Jughead was occupied with her hair tie. Once he’d pulled her hair free he lifted her up, allowing her to take off her skirt before placing her back on the table. 

“Jughead?”

“Mhmm,” he mumbled in between kisses, his lips barely leaving hers for a second. She placed her hands on her shoulders and pushed him away gently, resting her forehead against his.

“I am loving this but I don’t think I’m quite ready for ... that,” Betty said, slightly breathless after what they’d just been doing. Jughead kissed her once, a short, soft kiss which still managed to take her breath away, despite it being the complete opposite of what they’d just been doing.

“That’s more than okay Betts. The last thing I want is to make you uncomfortable. We’ll go at your speed, ok?” His voice was gentle and Betty practically melted, falling into further into him. “And on that note…” Jughead unwrapped her legs from his waist, placing one arm under her knees and one arm behind her back, carrying her so she was facing sideways. She giggle in anticipation, unsure what he was going to do next. All of a sudden, she couldn’t feel his arms holding her and milliseconds later she was soaked from head to toe.

“Juggie! You are the worst,” Betty squealed once she’d resurfaced from under the warm water. Jughead was doubled over with laughter, she splashed him a few times and eventually he calmed down, eyes still watering. “At least help me up,” she demanded, holding her hand out from where she was waiting at the edge of the pool. Jughead reached out to help pull her out and before he knew it she’d dragged him into the warm water. 

“You’re gonna pay for that Betts,” Jughead threatened playfully as he picked her up and dropped her back in the water, her squeals of protest filling the room. Jughead shook his head as soon as she’d opened her eyes again, his hair causing water to go flying everywhere.

“You’re just like a dog,” Betty groaned between laughs, once again wiping water from her eyes.

“Good thing you like dogs then,” he quipped back to her, a huge smile on his face at the sight of her laughing.

“Mmm, I don’t know. I think I’m more of a cat person,” Betty replied, slowly moving closer to Jughead. He leant down to kiss her but just before their lips touched, Betty ducked out of the way and splashed him instead. His eyes opened abruptly and his face morphed into a faux scowl. He looked around for Betty but she’d already swum to the other side of the pool, hardly able to contain her laughter as she treaded water. Jughead swam towards her slowly, holding her gaze the whole time. She tried to escape at the last second but underestimated the length of his arms and he managed to catch her, pulling her close to him and showering her face with kisses. 

“Juggie! Stop!” Betty whined but her smile told Jughead a different story as he continued to press his lips to her soft skin. Suddenly, the door flew open.

“There you guys are! I’ve been looking all over for you. Fred called Arch about ten minutes ago wondering where the boys are because it’s already after curfew. We need to go,” Ronnie explained, completely unfased by the fact that Betty and Jughead were in a swimming pool in their underwear. 

“Ok V, sorry about that. Do you mind waiting outside while we get changed?” Betty asked. She wasn’t really worried about Ronnie seeing her in her underwear but figured Jughead might not feel the same.

“Ugh, fine. I’ll go wait by the car. Hurry up though because we really need to leave.” She turned on her incredibly high heels and walked back out into the cold night. Betty swam to the edge of the pool and climbed out, noticing Jughead watching her walk over to their clothes but unable to do anything about it. Fortunately, they found a large cabinet filled with towels so they were able to dry themselves off before putting their clothes back on, hoping that the snow wouldn't freeze them alive as soon as they stepped out the door. They got changed quickly, laughing and joking to pass the time. The tension that had dominated the room when Ronnie had found them had long since disappeared. 

“I had fun tonight babe,” Jughead said once they left the pool, his arm wrapped around her shoulders in an effort to keep her warm. She smiled up at him softly as they fell into step beside each other, laughing again by the time they reached the car. Jughead drove them all home, dropping the girls off first.

“Good night Juggie,” Betty said softly before leaning over the clutch to kiss him on the cheek. 

“Good night Betts,” Jughead replied, watching her lovingly as she followed Veronica into the apartment, waiting until they were inside before pulling away from the curb and driving back to the Andrews’.

\--------------------

Veronica stumbled into the apartment before going straight to her room, mumbling something incoherent about sleep helping to prevent a hangover. Betty tinkered around the kitchen briefly, making herself a hot chocolate and grabbing some biscuits before retreating to her room with the intention of watching something on Netflix.

She wasn’t even remotely tired after the events of the evening and, if she was being completely honest, she wasn’t looking forward to falling asleep without Jughead beside her. She scrolled through her Netflix suggestions but couldn’t find anything she was in the mood for. Betty got up and walked over to her closet, looking for a book to read but coming across the DVD Jughead had given her for Christmas. She grabbed it off the shelf and popped the ‘Rear Window’ disk into her computer, clicking through the menu until the credits started, signalling the beginning of the movie. Not even halfway through the film, Betty could feel her eyes start to drift closed and she finally gave in, closing her laptop and falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you so much for reading. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think, your comments make my day :)


	10. The Snowstorm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a slightly shorter chapter than normal but it is all fluff and cuteness so I hope you like it. Let me know what you think :)  
> (unbeta'd)

It had been almost a month since Cheryl’s party and Betty and Jughead hadn’t seemed to be able to get a second alone. Fred had been keeping the boys busy on the construction site, finding them plenty of work since a lot of the crew had gotten sick in the cold weather. They’d both been overwhelmed with homework as soon as school started meaning that the only time they were together without Ronnie and Archie was to study for tests or finish assignments. One Saturday morning, Betty had decided she’d had enough.

_Betts: Are you free today?_

_Juggie: I have nothing planned but it sounds like you might be about to change that_

_Betts: You know me too well. You want to come over? I don’t think anyone else is home. I’m in the mood for a movie marathon_

_Juggie: I’m pretty sure Ronnie is here so escaping her sounds great. There’s only so much third wheeling I can handle_

_Betts: See you soon?_

_Juggie: On my way xx_

Betty smiled at his text before realising that she was still in her pyjamas. She knew that he had already seen her like that but she figured she might as well put a bit of effort in. She’d just finished slipping on her comfiest sweater when she heard a knock at the door, causing her to rush towards it without a second thought. 

“That was quick,” Betty remarked as Jughead walked into the apartment, kissing her forehead briefly before replying.

“I may or may not have left as soon as I got your text.” Jughead eyes finally met hers, a shy smile crossing his lips at the confession. Betty crossed the small space between them and wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her toes so their lips could meet. Jughead’s arms wrapped around her waist, holding her closer. She slowly pulled away from the kiss only to rest her head against his chest.

“I missed you Juggie,” Betty whispered softly. Jughead kissed the top of her hair before resting his chin on the top of her head.

“I missed you too Betts.” Neither of them knows how long they stayed there, holding each other tight and never really wanting to let go. They both reluctantly untangled their arms when Jughead began shivering slightly.

“You ok Jug?” Betty asked, her voice laced with concern.

“I’m fine, just a bit cold. There’s a lot of snow outside today so my boots got soaked through walking here, my jacket a bit as well.” Betty silently took his hand and led him through to the living room, sitting down in front of the fire. Jughead took off his jacket and shoes, placing them in front of the heat in a position he hoped would help them dry. Betty grabbed some blankets from her room before sitting down on the floor in front of the fire, motioning for her boyfriend to join her. Jughead sat down behind her, leaning his back against the couch as Betty grabbed his arms and wrapped them around her. She snuggled into him before grabbing one of the blankets and throwing over both of them.

“I’ve always loved sitting in front of a fire, especially wrapped up in blankets when it’s stormy outside. It always made me feel safe.” Betty said, looking straight ahead at the roaring flames.

“Whenever I had a sleepover at Archie’s house in winter, his mum would always buy us marshmallows and we’d make s'mores in the fireplace in the living room while we watched cartoons. Archie would always spend the longest time trying to find the perfect spot to make the marshmallow just the right colour and then end up getting distracted by the cartoon and turning the marshmallow black. We’d go through a whole bag of marshmallows but Archie would only ever end up eating a handful.” Betty could feel his laugh vibrate through his chest as she snuggled in closer to him, a laugh falling from her lips at the thought of Jughead and Archie as kids. Betty’s phone buzzed from where she’d left it across the room and she reluctantly stood up to grab it.

_Ronnie: Hey B, because of the snow everyone’s been told to stay inside so I’m stuck here. Hope you’ll be ok by yourself x_

_Betts: Ok, thanks V. Jug got here not long ago so I think I’ll be fine. Have a good day x_

“Everything ok babe?” Jughead asked from where he was still sitting on the floor. 

“Because of the snow everyone’s been told to stay indoors. Looks like I’ll be stuck with you for the rest of the day,” Betty said playfully as she walked over to him.

“I think we’ll manage,” Jughead smiled, pulling Betty down on his lap and showering her face in kisses.

‘Juggie stop! It tickles,” Betty exclaimed through laughs as she tried to wiggle her way out of his arms. He stopped kissing her only to bring his fingers up to tickle her sides seconds late, giving her no relief. Eventually she managed to escape his grasp, collapsing onto the floor in a fit of giggles as Jughead followed her down. They lay beside each other, looking up at they ceiling as they continued laughing, both of them slightly out of breath. All of a sudden, Betty sat up. 

“I have an idea.”

\--------------------

Two hours, six blankets, twenty four safety pins, and a mountain of pillows later, Jughead and Betty were lying inside their newly constructed fort. Betty’s head was resting across Jughead’s chest, his fingers absentmindedly running through her hair. 

“I have to say, this is one of the better forts I’ve made,” Betty thought out loud as she stared up at the twinkle lights they’d strung across the blanket ceiling. “But now I’m hungry and I can’t be bothered moving.” Jughead’s grumbling stomach punctuated her sentence and they both burst out laughing, holding onto each other for a moment longer before reluctantly escaping the confines of their fort. 

“I’m pretty sure we have leftover pizza but I don’t know how much there is, we might have to make something,” Betty said as she took Jughead’s hand and lead him towards the kitchen.

“What kind of monster has leftover pizza?” Jughead asked, his face morphed into a look of shock. Betty laughed as she walked over to the fridge, leaning up on her tiptoes to grab the boxes that were stacked on the top shelf. Her fingers skimmed the corner but she couldn’t quite grasp it and ended up pushing it further into the fridge. Jughead saw his girlfriend’s struggle and chuckle to himself, causing Betty to turn around and shoot him a steely look.

“You gonna help me or what?” She asked, her eyes cold but her voice playful.

“No that’s ok, I just got comfy,” Jughead said innocently as he sat down on one of the tall bar stools.

“Ok, good thing I can reach the vegetables then. How does salad sound?” Betty didn’t think she’d ever seen Jughead move so fast as he jumped up and easily grabbed the pizza off the shelf, shutting the fridge before Betty could get any other healthy ideas. She doubled over with laughter at the smug look of accomplishment on his face as he put the boxes on the counter. They teased and laughed as they ate their pizza. Jughead insisted on eating cold because apparently it was healthier, a fact Betty found very hard to believe, especially given the amount Jughead consumed. 

After the box was empty, they returned to the safety and warmth of their fort and covered themselves in blankets once more. Betty sat up with her back against the pillow mountain, Jughead’s head resting on her legs, claiming it was so his cold feet could be closer to the fire but Betty knew it was just because he liked her playing with his hair. 

“Your turn to pick the movie,” she said softly to him, brushing that one stray lock of his raven coloured hair out of his eyes. 

“I’m in a mafia kinda mood so ‘The Godfather’?” Jughead suggested, causing Betty to let out a soft laugh.

“How can you be in a ‘mafia kinda mood’?” Betty asked pointedly, already pulling the movie up on her laptop.

“The better question is how can you not?” Jughead waggled his eyebrows playfully as the opening music started playing through the tinny speakers, both of them humming along. Betty’s fingers returned to his hair, running through it mindlessly as they both focused on the screen, watching intently as the story unfolded before their eyes. About an hour into the movie the fairy lights turned off and the town outside the window was dark, hidden behind a thick curtain of snow. 

“Crap.” Jughead muttered.

“Good thing I charged my laptop beforehand,” Betty said optimistically, turning her attention back to the screen and trying not to freak out. She could handle the dark at night when she went to sleep but she wasn’t the biggest fan of being plunged into it unexpectedly. Jughead could see her jaw clench slightly and feel her hand still in his hair. He sat up and shuffled over so he was sitting beside her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close before kissing her temple. 

“It’s ok Betts,” he reassured her, feeling her curling closer into him at his words. 

“Do you think we could finish this later? Blackouts don’t really put me in a marfia kinda mood,” Betty said quietly, looking up at Jughead with a cheeky smile. He kissed her nose and she stuck her tongue out at him, causing him to laugh. Betty loved the feeling of his laugh when she was curled up against his chest. She revelled in the warmth that ran through her whenever she made him happier, even in the smallest ways. He kissed her temple once more before unravelling her from him gently.

“Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

\--------------------

Jughead returned from his mysterious mission to find Betty curled up by the window. She had a thick green blanket wrapped around her shoulders and she was staring intently out the window, unaware of his presence. 

“Betty,” Jughead said softly, not wanting to startle her.

“Mhmm,” she replied without turning towards him.

“Everything ok?” He asked, approaching her cautiously after depositing two bags on one of the many tables in the room.

“Yeah, yeah. I just like watching the snow. It makes everything seem so peaceful and quiet.” Betty finally broke out of her reverie to look at him, sending him a small smile as he walked up to her and hugged her from behind, pulling her closer and resting his chin on her head. Betty placed a soft kiss his arm, relaxing into him. They both looked out the window for a long while, watching the snow fall and losing themselves in their own thoughts. Eventually, Jughead unwrapped his arms and she shuffled around to face him.

“I have something for you.” A confused and curious look crossed Betty’s face as Jughead crossed the room and grabbed a bag off the table where he’d left it moments earlier. He returned to Betty and handed it to her. She opened it and held it up to the window, hoping the little light it provided was enough to make the contents of the bag visible.

“Jug! Thank you thank you thank you! Where did you find them?” Betty asked as she pulled one of the many candles out of the large bag.

“Ron once forced me to help her set up for a halloween party or something and I was in charge of candles. I’m kind of surprised they haven’t been moved but I get the feeling they don’t get used very often. There’s matches in the bag as well.” Betty hopped up from he seat and kissed his cheek, bouncing around the room to try and find a home for all the candles. 

“I also found marshmallows and skewers,” Jughead said as he pulled them out of the second bag, placing them next to the fire. Betty finished lighting the last candle and then came over to him, throwing her arms around his neck and leaning up so their foreheads touched.

“There’s no one else I’d rather be stuck in a blackout with,” she whispered softly, blue eyes meeting green.

“I love you Betts,” Jughead said. Betty leant forward and pressed her lips against his, soft and sweet. They held each other for a moment longer before sitting down and opening up the bag of marshmallows. Jughead’s arm rested in its usual position around Betty’s shoulders and her head subconsciously onto his shoulder as the held out their sticks. They spent the next half an hour in a comfortable silence, both of them content to just sit in each other’s presence and watch the flames lick at the marshmallows, turning the soft pinks to brown. 

Once the packet was empty and they’d both eaten a sufficient amount of sugar, Jughead pulled out his phone and put his music on shuffle before extending a hand to Betty.

“Care to dance babe?” A bright smile crossed her face at the gesture, pausing for a second before she nodded eagerly.

“If you insist,” she said with a giggle. They stood up rather ungracefully and then started dancing around the living room, both a mess of laughter and smiles. Jughead span her around in circles and she tried to return the favour, a task that proved to be rather awkward due to his height. 

“Where did you learn to dance like that Juggie?” Betty asked as she stepped on his toes for the fifth time in as many minutes. 

“Jellybean was very persistent.” Betty laughed again, imagining Jughead as a child while he pranced around the room with his little sister.

“She seems like a great kid,” she said gently, leaning into his chest.

“Yeah, she’s pretty cool,” Jughead said and Betty could hear the sad smile in voice as he thought about his sister. She ducked her head up and placed a soft kiss on his cheek before returning to her previous position.

“I miss my sister too.” They stood there in each other’s arms, moving to the music but not really hearing it, until Jughead’s phone ran out of songs and the world outside the frosty window turned dark.

\--------------------

“Jug, I don’t care. You can’t sleep in denim,” Betty argued as she shuffled through her closet, searching for something which would have any remote chance of fitting. 

“It’s fine, really Betts, I don’t mind,” Jughead tried to convince her from his spot on her bed. Betty refused to answer as she carried on her search, refusing to back down.

“Here, this should fit.” Betty chucked a large t-shirt at him, a satisfied grin on her face. The t-shirt was white with a colourful camp logo plastered on the front. In other words, it didn’t exactly look like Betty’s normal wardrobe. 

“Where did that come from?” Jughead asked, trying to sound nonchalant but not doing too well.

“Oh, um, it’s Kevin’s,” Betty said, her eyes trained to the carpet.

“Why do you have Kevin’s t-shirt?” Now Jughead just sounded curious as he shrugged off his flannel and pulled the offending shirt on over his singlet. He knew that Kevin was her best friend but he still felt kind of strange that Betty had his shirt in her wardrobe.

“I think I borrowed it at a sleepover one time and forgot to give it back. I wear it when I get homesick,” Betty confessed as she turned around to find her own pyjamas. Jughead silently stood up from the bed and walked up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist in what he hoped was a comforting action. She wasn’t very comfortable talking about her feelings which Jughead suspected was largely due to a childhood lead by Alice Cooper. Betty struggled to admit when she was feeling sad or lonely or tired or overwhelmed but Jughead was starting to recognise her tells. Sometimes she clenched her jaw, or brushed imaginary dirt off her sweater, or avoided eye contact, or played with her hair incessantly. Normally he could calm her down with a touch or whispered words of encouragement but sometimes she needed more than that. Luckily, this wasn’t one of those times. Jughead could feel her melt into him as she continued shuffling through her drawer, eventually settling on long flannel pants and an old t-shirt. 

“How do you do that?” Betty asked, finally turning to face him.

“Do what?”

“You always know how to make me feel better,” she said simply. 

“I don’t know if you heard but I was kind of the social outcast before you came around. I like to think I’m good at reading people,” Jughead replied softly, dropping his forehead to rest against hers as her arms reached up around his neck

“Jughead Jones, I love you.” 

“I love you Betty Cooper.” The kiss was soft but so full of emotion that Betty was left gasping for air. 

“I need to go and get my pyjamas on,” she said breathlessly, leaning into him once more. He placed a single kiss on her temple before she unwrapped her arms and walked towards the bathroom. Jughead pulled off his jeans, leaving him in his boxers and Kevin’s t-shirt, before jumping under the covers of Betty’s bed and pulling the blankets up around him. He grabbed his phone and book off the floor, turning on the torch and flipping to the dog eared page. 

Betty emerged not long after, dumping her clothes in her laundry hamper before joining him under the covers and curling into his side. She placed a tiny kiss on his shoulder before stealing half of his blankets and burying herself under them. Jughead chuckled to himself before putting turning off his phone and putting down his book. He turned to face her and placed one arm on her hip, pulling them closer together. 

“Goodnight Betts,” he said gently.

“Mhmm,” she hummed with her eyes closed, curling closer into his as sleep dragged her under. 

\--------------------

Betty felt like she was in a furnace and proceeded to kick off all the blankets once her limbs had woken up. Jughead was still asleep and stirred slightly at her movements, wrapping his arm tighter around her so she couldn’t escape. Betty kissed the end of his nose, giggling quietly when he scrunched it up. She managed to reach over to her dresser and grab her phone without waking Jughead up any further. Her phone lit up with countless messages from Ronnie, Hermione, and even Alice. 

_Ronnie: Sorry I can’t get home! My shoes will be ruined in this weather and I’ll probably break an ankle without any light. Hopefully Jughead’s keeping you occupied..._

_Ronnie: Archiekins told me to tell you to tell Jughead that he doesn’t need to help Fred tomorrow_

_Hermione: I hope you girls are ok, Hiram and I will be home tomorrow evening. Let Smithers know if you need anything._

_Alice: Wear warm clothing and avoid going outside._

Betty let out a silent laugh at her mother’s message. How is it possible that Alice can’t manage to figure out timezones after five months but she knew as soon as there was a snowstorm? That woman would always be a mystery.

She replied to all of her messages, reassuring everyone that they were fine but skillfully avoiding telling Hermione and her mother that it was only Jughead and her in the huge apartment. Ronnie replied immediately saying that the snow had started to clear so she’d me coming home later that morning.

Jughead woke up a short while later to find Betty awake in front of him. A sleepy smile crossed his face at the sight of her lying there reading his book, her cheeks slightly flushed from the warmth of the blankets and her hair messy from sleep. 

“Hey,” Jughead said quietly, his voice still hoarse.

“Hey,” Betty replied, looking up from his book and smiling at him. 

“I missed this.” He said simply.

“Missed what?”

“Waking up next to you and having you all to myself without school work or actual work or Ron.” Betty laughed, curling into him once again. 

“I missed you too,” she said as she placed a soft kiss on his lips. “But I was just about to make breakfast so do you wanna come help?” Jughead chuckled and kissed her forehead before pulling back the few blankets Betty hadn’t stolen in the night. They made their way to the kitchen and settled into a routine they had somehow done several times over the last few months. 

\--------------------

Veronica let herself into the apartment mid morning and was hit with the smell of bacon and pancakes, she made her way to the kitchen but stopped in her tracks when she spotted a giant blanket fort in the middle of the living room. 

“Well that definitely wasn’t there before,” Veronica muttered to herself before continuing on her journey towards the kitchen. She opened the door slowly when she got to the kitchen, already able to hear two distinct voices. A happy smile crossed her face once she opened it fully. Betty was standing by the stove flipping pancakes while Jughead set the table, both of them laughing and sending each other loving looks. 

“Hey guys, how was your blackout?” Ronnie asked as if she hadn’t interrupted anything. Her surprise entrance caused Betty to jump and she dropped a pancake on the floor, causing them all to burst out in a fit of laughter. 

“It was fine thanks V. How was Archie?” Betty asked once she’d recovered, carrying a loaded plate of pancakes to the table.

“You would think that being locked in a house with Archie for 24 hours would be a lot of fun, and I’m sure it would’ve been if his dad wasn’t also locked in that same house with us,” Ronnie said as she grabbed some grapes out of the fruit bowl. 

“At least Fred’s nice. I couldn’t imagine being stuck in a house with my mother for 24 hours.” Betty shivered at the thought. She couldn’t handle the hour long phone calls with her mother and they weren’t even in the same country let alone the same room. It certainly was going to be interesting living with her again when she went home.

“Yeah but it’s not so easy to sleep with archie when his dad is watching our every mood,” Ronnie said as if it was no big deal. Betty choked on the piece of pancake she had just been eating and Jughead quickly rushed over to her and rubbed her back.

“A little but too much much information there Ron,” Jughead said with the steely look he got in his eye whenever he was being protective of Betty. “You ok babe?”

“Yeah, nah. I’ll be fine,” she assured him although her voice wasn’t quite normal.

“I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand what you say B,” Ronnie said in fascination as she joined them at the table, helping herself to a pancake. “By the way, why is there a fort in the living room?” She asked as she poured herself some orange juice, taking a moment to observe the couple before starting on her pancake. 

“The real question is why wasn’t there a fort there in the first place?” Jughead quipped as he returned to his seat, loading four pancakes onto his plate and cutting into all of them at once, taking a huge bite as he maintained eye contact with Ronnie.

“Nice shirt,” was all she said in response before she left the room, abandoning her pancake and leaving a confused Jughead in her wake. He looked down and realised that the shirt wasn’t from a camp, as he had originally thought, but rather advertising an LGBTQ+ club at Kevin’s school. Betty laughed as his cheeks grew red at the realisation, wondering how Betty forgot to mention that.

“Shut up,” he said with a grin as he took another bite of his pancakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you liked this chapter, please leave a comment and let me know what you think!


	11. The Weekend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pretty long but I'm not apologising because I love it and there's no way I was going to cut this in half. Please let me know what you think, comments make my day :)  
> (unbeta'd)

After the fortunate incident which was the Riverdale snowstorm, Archie and Veronica seemed to be everywhere. School work had died down a bit but sadly, so had football and cheerleading practice. The snow outside had started melting but it wasn’t quite warm enough to train on the field so both teams were forced to share the gym, cutting practices short left, right, and center. The couple thought this was a great thing because they got to spend more time with Betty and Jughead, the latter finding it not so great. 

“Why can’t they just do that in private,” Jughead complained in Betty’s ear as they sat next to each other in a booth at Pop’s, Jughead’s eyes shooting daggers at his friends. They had only gotten there five minutes ago but Veronica and Archie were already making out, their milkshakes seemingly forgotten on the table in front of them. 

“Be nice Juggie,” Betty said quietly as she turned to face him, scolding him teasingly.

“What’s in it for me?” Jughead lowered his voice, his words were still whispered but dripping with desire, making Betty’s heart pound in her chest.

“You’ll just have to wait and see,” she whispered back, copying his tone as she leant in slightly closer to him, their faces mere inches apart. 

“Ahem, there are children here guys,” Ronnie pointed out, forcing them to break apart.

“But you guys we-” Jughead started but Betty ran her hand down his arm, wordlessly telling him to drop it. He sent her an exasperated look before turning back to their friends, causing Betty to giggle at him before following suit. 

“Jug, I was thinking maybe the girls could come over for a movie night on Saturday. Dad said he’ll be out and we could get takeout for dinner or something,” Archie suggested, his arm resting on the booth behind Ronnie. Jughead raised his eyebrows at Betty in question only to find her already looking at him.

“Yeah I’m keen,” Betty said, sending him a reassuring smile before looking at Archie. “But only if we get pizza, I’ve been craving Hawaiian all week.” They all laughed at the sour face Archie pulled at the mention of the infamous pineapple pizza. Jughead leant over and kissed Betty on the cheek, unable to keep the smile off his face as he thought of how much had changed since the last time they had eaten Hawaiian pizza together. 

“Cool, it’s settled then. Pizza and movies at my place on Saturday. Jug and I have gotta go but we’ll see you guys tomorrow at school.” Archie and Jughead kissed their respective girlfriends goodbye. Veronica stood up to let Archie get out but Jughead decided to climb ungracefully over Betty before she had the chance to copy her host sister. The bell over the door twinkled as the boys made their way to Archie’s car, leaving the girls alone with their milkshakes.

“I know I’ve said it before but I’m really glad you and Jughead found each other, you’re perfect together,” Ronnie said with a soft smile. Her fingers were absent mindedly twirling around the straw of her chocolate milkshake, half of it already melted in the cool glass as a result of her ‘distraction’.

“Thanks V. I’m really glad I found him to.” Betty tried to hide the loving smile on her face by taking a sip of her milkshake but drank too much and ended up with brain freeze, both of the girls doubling over in laughter. They spent the next hour or so gossiping and laughing, purposely avoiding the talk of school and ever present deadlines which seemed to constantly follow them around. 

\--------------------

The rest of the week passed quickly, all four of them going through the motions and looking forward to Saturday. Even though they hung out all the time at Pop’s, it was nice to have something planned to look forward to, even if it was just pizza and a movie. 

Betty and Veronica arrived at the Andrews household late on Saturday evening with pizzas in hand, as per Archie’s request. They all settled in the living room, Ronnie and Archie in the armchair and Betty and Jughead snuggled up on the couch. 

“What do you guys wanna watch?” Archie asked with his mouthful.

“I’m in the mood for anything with Audrey Hepburn. Maybe ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s?” Ronnie suggested, picking at something leafy on her slice. Everybody looked at Jughead, knowing he would be the only one to protest. Archie always agreed with Ronnie and Betty was usually indifferent when they watched movies with Veronica and Archie, not so much when it was just her and Jughead.

“As long as I don’t have to set it up,” Jughead shrugged, adjusting Betty slightly so he could grab another slice. Ronnie begrudgingly got up out of Archie’s lap to set it up, the title sequence appearing on the large TV minutes later.

As per normal, Ronnie fell asleep halfway through. Archie carefully carried her up the stairs to his room, waving a silent goodnight to his two friends left alone on the couch. They finished the movie in silence, Jughead’s fingers running through Betty’s hair as her thumb drew lazy circles on his arm. He could feel her mouth moving as she mouthed the words at the end of the movie, a sleepy smile crossing his face. It didn’t take long for the screen to turn black, plunging them into darkness but neither of them moved. Betty was ok with the darkness as long as he was holding her and he wasn’t planning on letting her go.

“We should do something tomorrow Jug, just the two of us,” Betty said quietly, shifting her head slightly so she could look up at his face, his blue eyes piercing through the blackness.

“What did you have in mind?” His fingers softly traced the lines of her face, wanting to know exactly what she looked like even though it was too dark to see. 

“I’m in the mood for a picnic.” Betty shifted once again so she was lying with her head on his chest, staring up at the ceiling as his fingers returned to her hair. 

“We could go to Sweetwater if you wanted. The snows cleared so it won’t be too cold if we take our coats.” He felt her nod and could almost sense the tiredness around her. He leant down to kiss her forehead before pulling her upright. ‘Do you want to go into the spare room?” He asked quietly.

“Mhmm,” she mumbled. He lead her up the stairs and into the room, grabbing some spare pyjamas from his and Archie’s room on the way. She disappeared into the bathroom for a few minutes to get changed, Jughead doing the same and jumping under the covers to stay warm. He had almost dozed off by the time she came back, vaguely aware of Betty wrapping his arms around her before falling into a peaceful slumber.

\--------------------

The sun rose much earlier than Betty and Jughead would have liked, both of them having no choice but to rise with it since neither of them had closed the curtains the night before.

“Juggie, why is it so bright?” Betty whined, refusing to open her eyes but still sensing the light.

“We should probably get up babe. I think Fred is getting home soon,” Jughead mumbled, not really wanting to follow through on his words. 

“Just five more minutes,” Betty said groggily, rolling over and hiding her head under the pillow. Jughead chuckled at her action, placing a soft kiss on her shoulder before untangling himself from her embrace and hopping out of the covers, immediately regretting his actions. He pulled slowly made his way downstairs, turning on the coffee machine and sifting through the fridge for something to eat. Betty came down twenty minutes later wearing her clothes from yesterday, rubbing her eyes and moving in a zombie like fashion. 

“Thank the Lord for coffee,” she muttered, grabbing the coffee pot from the bench and pouring herself a huge mug full. She gulped it down and sighed in satisfaction once the mug was emptied, a feat which only took a handful of seconds. Jughead laughed and made his way across the kitchen, kissing Betty’s forehead.

“You ready for our picnic?” His voice was playful and Betty’s eyes lit up, a mixture of the thought of getting to spend the day alone with her boyfriend and the heavenly goodness that is coffee.

“I’m always ready for a picnic. Should we stop by the store on the way or is there enough stuff here?” Betty asked, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him closer, her eyes locking with his.

“Betts, there are three guys living here, you really think we have spare food just lying around?” Betty laughed and threw her head back, Jughead taking it as an opportunity to kiss the tip of her nose. 

“You make a fair point.” They spent the rest of the morning getting stuff ready; blankets, cutlery, plates, glasses, water, coats. Neither of them were surprised that Veronica and Archie had yet to appear and were both secretly grateful, knowing that their friends would want to tag along if they found out what they were doing. 

Midday rolled around and Betty and Jughead were just about to head out the door when they bumped into Fred.

“Hey kids, where are you off to?” Fred asked as he took off his coat, hanging it up next to the door. 

“Betty decided she was in the mood for a picnic. Is it alright if I take the truck?” Jughead asked.

“Yeah of course. Be back by dinner though because I need to run a couple of errands this evening,” Fred replied, handing Jughead the keys.

“Thanks Fred, see you tonight,” Jughead called over his shoulder as he dragged Betty out the front door. Fred stood in the doorway and watched them drive away, both of them laughing in the front seat over something he didn’t catch. It was strange to see Jughead acting like that, his old walls completely broken down by the new girl with the pretty smile. Just as he was heading into the kitchen, Veronica and Archie snuck down the stairs. It looked like they were trying to be sneaky but that went out the window when Veronica dropped one of her shoes when they were near the top, the heel making loud noises and it tumbled towards the ground. Fred quickly ducked into the kitchen, not being able to decide if he should scold Archie for having Veronica in his room or being so crap at hiding it. In the end, he decided to act like he hadn’t noticed Veronica running across their front lawn and made himself some fresh coffee instead.

\--------------------

Just as they had hoped, they didn’t encounter another soul at Sweetwater River. They wrapped their coats around them tightly and made their way to their rock, each of them carrying numerous bags filled with their picnic essentials.

“It looks so different without the snow,” Betty commented as they lay a blanket on the ground. She pulled a couple of sandwiches out of one of the bags, handing one to Jughead before she snuggled into his. His arm came around her shoulder as she leaned into him. They both faced away from the forest, gaze trained on the roaring river as it danced and swirled around their rock.

“I like it best in Fall,” Jughead said once he’d finished his sandwich. “The trees look like they’re on fire when the sun hits them just right. The weather is warm, but not warm enough for swimming so hardly anyone comes here except a few runners. It makes it seem almost magical.”

“I wish I could have seen it,” Betty said with a sigh. She could feel Jughead tense under here, the same way he always did when reminded that their time together was limited. He leant over and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

“I’ll bring you back one day, ok. We can have a picnic just like this one and then stroll through the trees, just the two of us, ok?” Jughead asked, his tone sounding desperate.

“You promise?” Betty asked softly, looking into the depth of his blue eyes and wishing more than anything for that to happen.

“I promise,” he whispered before kissing her once more. “I love you Betty.” Jughead pulled away slightly, resting his forehead against hers and pulling her closer to him. “I love you.” He whispered it again and again, peppering her face with small kisses until she replied.

“I love you Jughead.” At those short words they became a mess of limbs. Jughead shifted slightly so Betty was lying against the blanket, his body hovering mere inches above her. His kisses moved from her face to her neck, teeth grazing against her collarbone as she arched into him. 

“I love you Jughead,” she repeated, his lips now moving up to capture hers in a heated kiss as she let out a slight gasp. He leant onto one arm, moving one of his hands down to her coat and undoing the first button, his lips still attached to hers. One of Betty’s hand ran through his hair, her fingers slightly scratching his scalp under his beanie as her other hand helped him with the buttons. Suddenly, they heard a familiar voice in the trees behind them.

“Vegas, come back!” They jumped apart and only had a second to collect themselves before a big ball of yellow fluff bowled into Jughead. “Vegas! You can’t just go up to str- oh, hey guys.” Archie said as he finally realised who his dog had run after. Jughead was scratching Vegas behind the ear and gave Archie a half friendly smile.

“Hey Arch, what brings you here?” To anyone else, Jughead might have seemed like he was being perfectly polite but Betty could see the frustration in his eyes and had to stop herself from laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation.

“Oh, um, Vegas needed a walk and I figured there wouldn’t be anyone around so I let him off the lead.” Archie explained, wiping the sweat off his brow.

“Oh ok, well I’ll see you at home,” Jughead said, hoping Archie would take a hint and leave. Unfortunately for Jughead, he had no such luck.

“So what are you guys up to?” Archie asked, reattaching Vegas lead to his collar. 

“Betty felt like a picnic so here we are, see you later Arch.” Jughead turned his attention to Betty, trying to get the message across to Archie. The shortness of his tone had obviously worked and Archie mumbled his goodbyes before running back through the trees, Vegas dragging along behind him.

“You ok Jug?” Betty said, still trying to contain her laughter at her boyfriend’s actions.

“I’m fine, I just feel like we never get any time together anymore. Ron and Arch are always there and I miss being alone with you.” Betty smiled at his confession and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek.

“How about this, we go away camping or something one weekend, just the two of us. No V, or Arch, or Fred, or Vegas. Just you and me.” Betty suggested as she ran her fingers along his jawline. Jughead placed his hand gently over hers and sent her a grateful smile.

“That sounds perfect.” He kissed her softly, pulling away slowly and hugging her tight. Her stomach grumbled and they separated in a fit of laughter. Betty grabbed some more sandwiches out of the bag, passing Jughead another one without bothering to ask first because she knew what the answer would be. They spent the rest of the afternoon laughing and eating, stealing kisses and holding each other tight. 

The sun started to go down at about 6pm, both of them reluctantly packing and heading back to the truck, putting the heat on at full blast. Jughead’s hand rested on Betty’s leg as he drove her to the Pembrook, leaving her a lingering kiss when she finally had to get out of the truck. 

\--------------------

Just as Betty was getting ready for bed, she heard her phone buzz from her dresser.

_Juggie: What are you doing next weekend?_

_Betts: Nothing…_

_Juggie: Do you want to take that trip?_ Betty couldn’t help her smile as she read over his words, imagining the way his arm would have rubbed the back of his neck when he typed it or how he was probably fiddling with his hair as he waited for her reply.

_Betts: I would love to_

_Betts: What did you have in mind?_ Now it was her turn to wait anxiously for a reply. She started picking at her nail polish, glancing up at her phone every few seconds in case he replied but her phone didn’t buzz. How did he still make her feel like this? They’d been dating for almost six months but he still made her feel giddy with the smallest of glances.

Her phone buzzed and a photo of Jughead filled up the screen, signalling an incoming call. She accepted it before the second ring.

“Hey Juggie.”

“Hey Betts. So I was thinking, maybe we could go camping in Greendale? It’s far enough away that we won’t run into anyone but it won’t be too much of a pain to get there and the weather should be a bit warmer so hopefully we won’t have t-”

“I’d love to Jug,” Betty cut him off, knowing that he would keep rambling if she kept quiet, another nervous habit of his. “That sounds perfect.” She could hear the smile in his voice as he replied, imagining him looking down at his shoes to avoid her seeing his grin, even if they were just on the phone.

“Can we video chat? I want to see you,” Betty asked shyly.

“Sure Betts, give me a sec,” he chuckled before hanging up. She only had the time to sit up on her bed before a Skype request came through from Jughead.

“Hey,” Betty said as she answered it.

“Hey,” Jughead replied, sure enough wearing that same lazy smile that Betty had imagined. “So I was thinking…” 

The couple talked for the next half an hour about plans for the following weekend, their smiles growing larger as their idea became more and more realistic. Betty was talking about how she could avoid telling her mother when Veronica burst through her bedroom door. 

“Oh my god, B, you’re never going to guess what Cheryl just posted on Twitter,” Ronnie said dramatically as she strutted in, lying gracefully at the end of Betty’s bed.

“Sorry Jug, I gotta go. See you tomorrow,” Betty said regretfully, not wanting to end their conversation but knowing Veronica wouldn’t give her much of a choice. 

“Bye babe, see you tomorrow.” The screen went black as he hung up, forcing Betty to turn her attention to her host sister.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to hearing him say babe. Also, what’s up with the video chatting? Didn’t you guys spend all day together?” Ronnie asked, raising her eyebrows in question.

“Well, yeah, but we were just sorting out some stuff,” Betty replied vaguely, unable to keep the smile off her face. 

“You guys are so adorable. I don’t think I’ve ever been like that with Archie.” Betty shrugged, unsure how she was supposed to respond.

“So, what did Cheryl do this time?”

“Oh my god, you’ll never believe it…”

\--------------------

Betty was so excited for the following weekend that it seemed to be an eternity away. Ten whole days. How was she supposed to concentrate on school or anything for that matter when all she could think about was that she would get to be alone with her boyfriend for an entire weekend? They’d never really done that before. In New York they’d been left to their own devices but they were always aware Archie and Veronica. During the snowstorm they’d been all alone but that had only been one night so Betty was beyond excited for a whole 48 hours all to themselves.

The ten days crawled past and Betty managed to survive on the small amount of contact they’d been reduced to since cheer and football season had wound down. The final bell rang on Friday and Betty raced out of the classroom, beelining towards where Fred’s truck was waiting in the school parking lot. Jughead was already there, hauling his backpack into the back of the truck. Betty bounced over to him and kissed him square on the lips, taking him by surprise.

“Looks like someone’s excited,” Jughead teased once she pulled away, taking in her bright smile and the way here green eyes sparkled.

“Maybe,” Betty said as she skipped around to the passenger side, dumping her bag down at her feet. Jughead chuckled at her excitement as he sat up behind the steering wheel, putting the keys in the ignition before pulling out of the school gates. 

Betty plugged her phone into the car speaker once they got onto the motorway, putting on an upbeat song which Jughead didn’t recognise and singing along. He had only heard her sing once, the morning after their first date, and he’d never realised how beautiful her voice was. She hit all of the notes easily, both of them dissolving into laughter when she tried to sing along and imitate the instruments at the same time. The hour long trip passed in the blink of an eye and soon enough they were turning into the Greendale Camping Ground. They paid the donation before driving into the field reserved for tents. It was completely deserted but they picked a spot away from the entrance anyway, hoping anyone else that came would get the hint and keep their distance. 

By the time night fell, they had managed to get the tent up with minimal difficulty, save from some dispute over the correct technique for inserting the tent pegs in the ground, and were currently sitting around a small campfire toasting marshmallows.

“I know you did this last time we toasted marshmallows but I still find it weird that you burn the outsides,” Jughead said. Betty blew out the flame on her now black marshmallow and put the whole thing in her mouth, looking at him pointedly.

“But burnt marshmallows are the best! If you don’t burn them then they aren’t warm in the middle and then what’s the point in toasting them?” Betty said once she’d finished eating hers, waggling her stick at him.

“You’re weird,” he chuckled, pulling her closer into his side and kissing her temple. She snuggled in and grabbed another marshmallow out of the bag, skewering it then holding it over the flames. Once it was sufficiently burnt, she pulled it out of the fire and held it up to Jughead.

“Try it,” she demanded, waving it in front of his face. He opened his mouth and bit it off her stick, making a sour face as he chewed. 

“You know I love my food babe, but that is not edible.” He swallowed exaggeratedly and she giggled at his dramatics, prepping another marshmallow for charring. 

“I don’t know if we can be together if you don’t like burnt marshmallows,” she joked, her cheeky smile giving her away. He kissed her scrunched up nose as he grabbed his own marshmallow, burning it to a crisp before putting it straight into his mouth, acting as though he was enjoying it.

“See it’s not that bad,” Betty protested as she ate her own. They carried on in a similar fashion until the bag was empty, teasing and laughing and sneaking in kisses whenever they got the chance. They walked back to their tent hand in hand, both of them grateful for their extreme lack of neighbours. Betty was rifling through her bag when felt Jughead head towards the entrance of the tent.

“I’ll go get changed in the bathrooms,” he mumbled. Just as he was reaching for the zip he felt Betty’s hand on his arm. He turned around to face her, her eyes meeting hers as her arms wrapped around his shoulders, joining behind his neck and fiddling with the tufts of hair that had fallen out of his beanie.

“You could get changed here if you wanted.” Betty’s voice was soft and nervous.

“Are you sure?” He knew that Betty wasn’t just talking about getting changed.

“Yeah. I’m sure. I mean, we’re both 17 and we have already seen each other in our underwear so it shouldn’t be that strange, should it? Plus it’s cold outside and you really shouldn’t b-” His lips cut her off as they pressed against hers, his pyjamas dropping to the ground as his hands moved up to cup her face. She deepened the kiss immediately, melting into him as she pulled him closer. His hands moved from her face to the hem of her shirt, fiddling with the edge as he waited for a sign. She broke the kiss and leaned her forehead against his, looking into his eyes and nodding slowly.

He pulled her shirt over her head slowly, waiting for her to change her mind but thankful that she never did. Once her shirt had joined his pyjamas on the floor she reached for the hem of his shirt, waiting for him to nod before pulling it over his head, his beanie going with it. 

“Are you sure?” Jughead repeated, his hands once again cupping her face. 

“I love you,” she whispered in lieu of a response.

“I love you.”

\--------------------

They woke up early the next morning as the sun lit up the walls of their tent. Betty opened her eyes first, rolling closer into Jughead’s side as the cold air bit at her bare skin. She felt him stir and kissed his cheek softly, watching his dark eyelashes as they fluttered awake.

“Hey,” he mumbled, his voice still thick with sleep.

“Hey,” she mumbled back, placing a soft kiss on his lips.

“How are you feeling?” Jughead asked once they broke apart, not quite sure how she was feeling about what they’d done the night before.

“Amazing,” she whispered in his ear. He felt her teeth ghost the shell of his ear and shivered involuntarily. She giggled at his reaction, pulling back and kissing him once more.

“Come here,” he chuckled, pulling her closer to him and wrapping his arms tighter around his waist. “You’re keeping me warm.”

“It might help if we put some clothes on,” Betty giggled again.

“Or we could not,’ he suggested, his hands roaming a little lower than her waist. She squealed in surprise at the action and swatted Jughead’s arm playfully.

“Maybe later but we need to get up if we want to get down to the river by lunchtime,” Betty pointed out as she tried to untangle herself from his arms. Jughead wouldn’t let in, holding her close and tickling her sides when she tried to escape.

“I can’t believe you convinced me to go on a hike,” he muttered in her ear, his fingers still dancing along her sides.

“At least it’s all downhill,” she said breathlessly once his fingers finally stilled.

“But that’s even worse because then that means it’s all uphill on the way back,” he groaned as she finally managed to get out of the sleeping bag, scurrying over to her bag so as to avoid Jughead’s gaze. Despite what they’d done last night, Betty wasn’t the biggest fan of Jughead looking at her naked in broad daylight.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, almost as though he could read her thoughts, and Betty almost believed him. She sent him a shy smile before pulling on her clothes, completely aware of Jughead’s eyes watching her every move. She was tempted to look over at him but knew that if she did, they’d never leave the tent. Once Betty was fully clothed, she turned around to face him, her expression still morphed into that shy smile he adored.

“I’ll wait outside,” she said quickly, scampering out of the tent before he had a chance to change her mind. Jughead reluctantly got out of the sleeping bag, pulling on clothes at random in his half awake state. He decided to leave his beanie off for the day, figuring he wouldn’t really be needing it in the mild weather, not that that had ever stopped him before. Jughead offered Betty his arm as soon as he got out of the tent.

“Shall we?” He asked in a bad British accent.

“We really need to work on your accents,” Betty commented with a laugh, taking Jughead’s arm and allowing him to lead her into the forest. 

\--------------------

The walk passed quickly, much to Jughead’s surprise, and Sweetwater River came into view long before either of them were expecting it to. 

“It looks completely different to what it was like two weeks ago,” Betty observed as they ate their lunch. The leaves had started to grow back on the trees, attracting birds and other small animals, giving the forest the feeling of new life. The river wasn’t very strong here and no longer gave off an icy chill, allowing Betty to dip her toes in without having to worry about them turning blue. Jughead sat down on the rock next to her, dangling his long legs over the edge of the rock and swirling his feet in the water.

“How are you doing that Betts? It’s freezing!” Jughead exclaimed, pulling his feet out of the river and crossing them under himself instead.

“It’s not that bad, you just need to toughen up,” Betty teased, poking him slightly in the chest.

“Watch it Betts. You wouldn’t want to have to walk to the tent soaking would you?” Jughead threatened, moving closer to her and placing one hand on her back. He pushed her slightly but then held the back of her shirt to stop her from falling, laughing at the terrified look which clouded her expression.

“Jughead Jones, you are gonna pay for that,” she said playfully, leaning down to scoop up a handful of water and throwing it in his face. Now it was Betty’s turn to laugh but it didn’t last very long. Jughead retaliated in the blink of an eye, a smug grin on his face. 

Neither of them was quite sure how it happened but somehow they both ended up in the river, laughing and splashing and pulling each other under. Once they were both soaked to the bone and shivering they clambered onto the rock, both grateful for the warm sun and the lack of wind. Betty lay on the rock while Jughead grabbed their picnic blanket, wrapping it around both of them in an attempt to warm up. It worked for the most part, both of them deciding that the walk back to the tent would probably do wonders for the two of them and quickly packed up their things, making their way back into the forest.

\--------------------

After they’d eaten dinner and tended to the fire, Betty and Jughead laid down in the bed of Fred’s truck, wrapped up in each other and then covered in blankets. The stars lit up the sky, looking a lot more impressive than the fairy lights Betty had strung up in their fort during the snow storm.

“I’ve always loved the stars,” Betty said quietly to no one in particular. “They’re always there in this perfect silence, just stretching out to oblivion.” Jughead kept quiet, sensing that Betty was going to carry on and not wanting to discourage her.

“Polly and I used to sneak out of our rooms during Matariki and lie out on the grass in the backyard looking up at the stars, trying to spot the seven sisters. I’m pretty sure my mum knew about it because we weren’t exactly quiet but she never said anything. Other than the seven sisters we could never find any real constellations so we would find our own ones and give them crazy names.” Betty chuckled at the memory, feeling her eyes getting misty. She could sense Jughead’s eyes on her but she couldn’t tear her own away from the sky, entranced by the stars and the memories they held.

“A couple of times after Polly left, I’d call her when stuff got really bad with … with my anxiety. She’d tell me to go outside and look up at the stars and try to find all of our constellations. I can still remember a couple but the stars are all different here. There’s nothing familiar.” Her voice broke and she felt slow tears rolling down her face. Betty finally looked at Jughead, ready for him to tell her she was crazy. He leant up on one elbow and gently brushed the tears off her face with his thumb.

“What have you done since you’ve been here?” Jughead asked softly, his thumb still rubbing her cheek even though the tears were already drying on the blankets.

“I haven’t felt like that since I’ve been here, except for that party on New Year’s Eve. When that happened I didn’t need the stars because … because I had you,” Betty said quietly, her eyes meeting his and trying to convey everything she felt for him in that look since she knew she’d never be able to find the right words. He leant forward and kissed her slowly, lovingly, wordlessly telling her he felt the same.

“I love you Betts and I will always be there for you,” he reassured her when they eventually pulled apart, his thumb stroking her cheek once more.

“I will always believe you Juggie,” she whispered back. They stayed that way for a moment, a single moment which seemed so long but no where near long enough. 

“Hey Jug?”

“Mhmm.”

“Take me to bed.” And that he did.

\--------------------

The sun didn’t wake them the following morning. It was too busy hiding behind the clouds to act as their alarm clock, leaving the two teenagers to sleep peacefully until the middle of the morning. Betty woke up to the sound of raindrop pounding the outside of the tent, and Jughead kissing her shoulder.

“Hey,” he whispered when he saw her eyes flutter open, a lazy smile crossing her face.

“Hey,” she whispered back.

“Guess what,” he mumbled into her skin, moving his lips across her neck and leaving a trail of soft kisses in his wake.

“What,” she said sleepily, not quite awake but getting a feeling that this is how she wanted to be woken up every morning.

“We have nothing to do.” She could feel the smile on Jughead’s lips, his teeth lightly grazing her collarbone and she arched her chest slightly, wanting to get more of him. 

“I have one thing I want to do,” Betty said in a sultry tone, causing Jughead to stop in his tracks and look up at her face. Her bottom lip was pulled between her teeth as she tried to hide the giddy smile she got on her face every time Jughead looked at her with those eyes.

“Any chance I can help with that?’ Jughead asked, matching her tone and slowly closing the gap between them.

“Ok, so maybe two things…”

\--------------------

After they’d finished doing the first thing, Betty forced Jughead out of the tent so they could do the second. She bounced over to the truck and plugged her phone into the speaker, turning the volume all the way up and winding down the windows, thankful there wasn’t any wind so the rain didn’t drench the seats.

“What are you up to Betts?” Jughead queried, a curious smile on his face.

“Don’t judge me, but I’ve always wanted to dance in the rain.” Jughead couldn’t help but laugh at how childish she looked, spinning around in her light dress as the rain turned her blonde hair brown. 

“Come on Jug, dance with me,” she pleaded, holding out her hands as she jumped up and down to the music. He acted reluctant but Betty could see the joy in his eyes. He twirled and dipped her around the field, once again thankful that they were alone but thinking he probably wouldn’t care if they weren’t. 

“Catch me if you can!” Betty yelled over her shoulder, taking advantage of Jughead daydreaming to get a head start, sprinting across the field. He laughed and raced after her, trying and failing to catch up with her. He eventually trapped her in a corner of the forest, picking her up and spinning her around.

“Juggie!” She squealed playfully as he set her back on the ground. He kissed her passionately and picked her up again, carrying her back over to the tent and laying her down carefully on their bed inside. 

“We should probably start packing up,” Betty said sadly, reaching up and running her fingers through his damp hair and letting it stick up every which way.

“Five more minutes,” Jughead whined light hearted, trying to play it off as a joke but meaning every word of it. He fell down beside her and stared up at the ceiling, watching the drops of rain run down the fabric.

“Did you bring your book Jug?” Betty asked as she rolled on her side to face him. He leant over to the side of the bed, grabbing his book off the floor and opening it up to the dog-eared page, knowing that was what she was going to ask him to do. She moved over so her head was lying on his chest. His hand moved to run through her dripping hair, his other holding his book steady as he read aloud, bringing the words to life. 

He reached the end of the chapter much faster than Betty wanted, forcing her to reluctantly stand up before they stayed there all day. She threw her clothes in her bag at random, not bothered with folding things since most of it needed to be washed anyway. Once the two of them had packed up the inside of the tent, they carried their bags out to the truck and covered them with a tarpaulin, hoping that their things weren’t going to get any wetter than they already were. 

“I don’t want to go back,” Betty complained as they tried to fold up the tent. They gave up pretty quickly and stuffed it into the bag, vowing to sort it out when they got back to the Andrews’ but knowing that probably wouldn’t happen.

“We should do this more often,” Jughead suggested, refusing to believe this was the only weekend they would ever have alone together. He turned away from Betty to make sure the tarpaulin was secured tightly.

“I don’t leave until June so we’ll have plenty of opportunities,” Betty said, coming up behind Jughead and leaning up on her toes so she could wrap her arms around his neck and kiss the back of his shoulder. She could feel him tensing under her touch and realised once again that she probably shouldn’t have bought up her leaving. He leant his head down and kissed her hands where they were joined over his chest. 

“In that case, we definitely have to do this more often. It’s practically a crime against humanity if we don’t,” Jughead teased, brushing her hair out of her face. “You ready to go?”

“Never,” Betty replied, allowing Jughead to drag her into the cab of the truck nonetheless. 

\--------------------

“I love you Juggie,” Betty told him before she got out of the car. She was delaying it and they both knew it, neither of them really wanting to go back to reality after such a perfect weekend.

“And I love you Betts but you need to go. I really don’t want you to but I think Ron just saw us out the window and I’m pretty sure she’ll kill me if I keep you from her for another minute,” Jughead joked. Betty looked up through the windshield and sure enough, the curtain in Veronica’s room fluttered shut as if she knew she’d been caught. Betty laughed, kissing Jughead one last time before grabbing her bag and heading upstairs.

“B! I didn’t know you were getting back this early! What a surprise!” Veronica bear hugged Betty as soon as she opened the door. 

“You are such a bad liar, Jughead saw you at your window,” Betty said once Ronnie released her. 

“Fine, you caught me,” Ronnie gave in as she pulled Betty down to sit on one of the couches.

“So … how was your weekend?” She asked with her eyebrows raised.

“It was perfect. It was so nice to spend time alone with Jughead, no offense V,” Betty said quickly.

“Oh, none taken. So you slept with him?” Betty’s face went bright red. She was used to the directness of Ronnie’s questions but she wasn’t sure how she wanted to answer, or how much she wanted Ronnie to know.

“I totally called it,” Ronnie said with a smile on her face. “How was it? Did it hurt? Was he good?”

“Ok first off, how the hell did you know that? And for the rest, amazing, kinda, I’m not answering,” Betty grinned.

“It’s totally all over your face and you took way too long to answer my question. You are so obvious,” Ronnie said with a self satisfied smirk. Betty stood up from the couch, pulling her bag back onto her shoulder.

“You are way too good at that. I gotta go empty my bag but we’ll talk about you later. I can tell you’re dying to tell me something,” Betty pointed out as she started walking out of the room.

“I so do and you are going to be the one dying when I tell you. I’ll give you a hint; think Cheryl Blossom and an affair that everyone will be remembering,” Veronica called out dramatically as Betty walked into her room with an amused grin on her face. She dumped the contents of her bag onto her bed and was about to dump it all in her laundry basket when a piece of paper sticking out of the pocket of her jeans caught her attention. 

_I love you and I will always be there for you. - Juggie_

Betty’s fingers traced over the familiar messy scrawl that Jughead called handwriting, tears coming to her eyes as she remembered when he’d told her those exact words the night before. She grabbed some tape off her desk and taped the note up on the wall over her bed, never wanting to forget those precious words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it and congrats for making it to the end! Please please please leave a comment, I really do appreciate them so much and they help to make my writing better :)


	12. The Breakdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for sudden strikes of inspiration! This chapter was supposed to be something completely different but my brain works in weird and wonderful ways so instead I ended up with this. Just a little warning, Bughead isn't the main focus of this chapter because I wanted to build on some (read: all) of the friendships. I hope you like it, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think :)  
> (unbeta'd)

“What are you guys up to next weekend?” Jughead asked Veronica and Archie as he slid into the seat next to Betty, lunch tray in hand.

“Hi Jug, I’m doing fine, how are you? Good, I’m glad,” Veronica snapped, pushing a lettuce leaf around her plate. Archie’s hand came up to rub her back softly and Betty could practically see her melting into him.

“Sorry Jug, it’s been a long day,” she mumbled, looking down at her plate. Archie sent a sympathetic look at his girlfriend, kissing her forehead and pulling her closer so she could lean against him. 

“I don’t think we’ve got anything planned. Did you have something in mind?” Archie asked, still rubbing circles on Ronnie’s back.

“Betty and I were gonna go to this fair in Greendale and we were wondering if you guys wanted to come,” Jughead suggested. 

“Yeah, sure, that sounds like fun,” Archie said enthusiastically. “What do you think Ron?” His voice changed when he talked to Veronica. His tone was soft and soothing, all hints of the playfulness they were used to had disappeared. 

“Yeah that sounds like a good idea,” she mumbled to no one in particular. “I think I’m going to get Smithers to pick me up, I can’t deal with another three hours in this hellhole.” Veronica pulled out her phone and sent off a message, the telltale buzz of a reply coming only seconds later. 

“V, I can come with you if you want some company,” Betty proposed gently, grabbing her host sister’s hand across the table. Veronica nodded as stood up from the table, kissing Archie quickly before heading for the door. 

“I’ll text you later Jug,” Betty said as she packed up her bag, kissing him on the cheek before following Ronnie out of the cafeteria.

“What’s going on with Veronica?” Jughead asked as he took a bite of his burger.

“Just some stuff going on with her dad that she’s stressing about. She’ll be ok in a bit she just needs some time,” Archie said as he picked at his fries, worry written all over his face.

“Arch, if you ever need to talk you know I’m here for you.”

“Thanks Jug, I’ll let you know.” Archie sent him a reassuring smile and they finished their lunches in silence, biding time until the bell rang. 

\--------------------

“V, what’s going on?” Betty asked once she’d caught up to Veronica out the front of the school. She had mascara running trails down her cheeks as the two girls sat out in the bitter spring air, waiting for Smithers to come and pick them up.

“I just, everything’s just a lot right now. I’m behind on my homework, Cheryl has turned into a slave driver with the Vixens, and then now all this stuff with my dad I just … I just need a break,” Veronica sobbed, her eyes avoiding Betty’s gaze. Betty pulled Veronica into a tight hug, not worrying about the tear stains that were pooling on the shoulder of her sweater. 

“It’s ok, it’s ok, I’m here to help with whatever you need V. I’m right here,” Betty whispered into her hair as she held Veronica tight, trying not to fall apart as Ronnie crumbled in her arms. They heard Smithers pull up beside them and wordlessly pulled apart, climbing into the car in silence. Betty moved over into the middle seat and Veronica leant her head onto her shoulder, closing her eyes and trying to take herself to another place, a better place.

“V, we’re home.” Veronica opened her eyes and found herself in front of the Pembrook. She silently slid out of the car and made her way to the elevator, Betty’s hand gently placed on her elbow. She could feel the concern radiating off Betty but didn’t have to energy to fight her or try and convince her everything was alright. 

A lifetime later they reached their floor. Betty lead Veronica out of the elevator and into her room. She helped Veronica sit down on her bed and unbuttoned her winter coat. Veronica felt like a child, small and helpless against the big scary world. Betty disappeared for a few moments and came back with makeup wipes, carefully rubbing Veronica’s face clean. All that Ronnie could do was stare at the blank wall in front of her, her eyes cold and empty. She felt Betty pull of her shoes before she felt herself being pushed back onto the pillows, a blanket coming up around her shoulders.

“Do you want anything V?” Betty asked quietly, not sure how much Ronnie was actually hearing. Veronica felt herself shake her head but wasn’t sure if she actually heard the question. Betty turned out the light and closed the door, plunging the large room into blackness as Veronica felt her eyes drooping shut, eyelids becoming too heavy to resist.

\--------------------

“Do you think you and Archie could come over after school? I’m really worried about V and I think Archie needs to be here,” Betty said into her phone, casting a cautious glance at Veronica’s bedroom door as though she was going to come bursting through it at any moment. 

“We’re supposed to be helping out Fred but I think Archie was gonna talk to him and try to sort something out. He’s really worried about her Betts.” Betty could hear the crowded chatter of the hallways in the background, his sentence punctuated by the warning bell. 

“See what you can do, please. You need to go to class but I’ll text you if anything changes.”

“Thanks Betts, I love you.”

“I love you Juggie, see you later.” Betty ended the call and went back into the living room, turning on the TV and settling down in front of a nondescript sitcom. She felt herself glancing at Veronica’s door every few seconds and after an episode she decided that she need to do something else. 

She walked into the kitchen and started gathering up ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies, figuring comfort food would be much appreciated. She was stirring the mixture in a large bowl when she heard her phone ring from the other side of the kitchen. Betty scrambled around trying to get her fingers clean enough to answer the call, finally giving up and getting her screen dirty.

“Hey Jug, what’s up?”

“Hey Betts. Our teacher is out for last period and apparently they can’t get a substitute so Arch and I are heading over now. How’s Ronnie doing?”

“I’m not sure. She’s still in her room so I think she’s sleeping.”

“Ok, we’ll be there in 10.” Betty could hear the telltale sound of an engine flaring up before the call went dead. She went back over to her mixing bowl and continued making her cookies. She was scooping the first second batch onto a tray when she heard the front door open and shut. Sure enough, Jughead appeared around the corner seconds later, Archie appearing for an instant as he walked straight to Veronica’s room. Jughead came and enveloped Betty in a tight hug, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead and he held her close. 

“Are you ok?” He asked so quietly that Betty felt his words rather than heard them.

“I don’t know. I feel fine but I’m really worried about V. I’ve never seen her like this and it scares me,” Betty confessed into his shoulder. She held him for a moment longer, pulling away to kiss him softly before returning to her cookies. 

“Betts, talk to me.” He hugged her from behind, placing a kiss on the top of her shoulder before resting his head on top hers. She put down her ball of dough but kept looking down at the bench, not sure why she was so reluctant to share after everything they’d been through.

“I know, I mean, I thought I knew what it’s like for other people to see me have an attack but I never really thought about it that much. Am I that weak and helpless? Do people really think of me as that much of a burden?” She couldn’t help herself, she turned around so they were face to face, longing for the comfort and security she knew was waiting for her in his eyes. 

“I never want you to feel helpless, ok Betts? I will always be there for you, always. Don’t you dare feel like you’re ever a burden. You are the most amazing person I have ever known. I love you Betty.” Betty practically melted into Jughead but he held her tight to his chest.

“How do you always know just what to say?” Betty asked, looking up at him with a lazy smile.

“You just make it so easy.” He smiled back and kissed her forehead before dropping lower and capturing her lips with his. The timer went off behind them and Betty quickly made her way to the oven and took out her first batch of cookies, placing them on the bench before putting the second batch in the oven in their place, resetting the timer. 

\--------------------

Archie and Ronnie emerged an hour later, Veronica leaning against him as if he was the only thing keeping her upright. She looked like a shell of herself, nothing like the sophisticated, put together Veronica Lodge that Betty had come to know. Archie led her over to the table and helped her sit down, pulling up a chair next to her and keeping his hand on her knee. 

Betty and Jughead stopped their conversation when the couple entered the kitchen, watching the pair carefully, concern written all over both of their faces.

“Are you feeling better V?” Betty asked as she made her way over to her, her voice soft so she didn’t scare Veronica. 

“A bit, I guess. My life’s still screwed up I’m just slightly better rested,” she said dryly. Betty grabbed a plate of cookies off the bench and some milk out of the fridge, placing them both on the table before sitting down opposite her friends. Jughead followed and sat down next to her, helping himself to a cookie even though he’d already eaten half a batch.

“So, what did we miss at school?” Betty questioned, hoping that they could strike up a conversation. Jughead got the hint and started on a very detailed description of how their classmates had kept themselves occupied while the teacher was droning on about quadratic equations. They all knew that he was exaggerating for the sake of the story but they laughed anyway, managing to get something which resembled a smile out of Ronnie. 

Hermione came home later that evening, all prepared to ask Betty and Ronnie why they had missed the last two classes but instead found the four friends sitting in the kitchen, an empty plate sitting on the table between them.

“Hi there, what’s going on?” Hermione asked, looking down at the absent look on her daughter’s face and the protective way Archie was sitting beside her. 

“Ron’s just having a bit of a rough day,” Archie said, giving Hermione a look which told her not to ask any more questions. Veronica leaned into Archie at the sound of his voice, closing her eyes as his fingers ran through her hair.

“Ok. I’ll be in my room if anyone needs anything. Do I need to call Fred and tell him where you boys are?” Hermione asked as she moved around the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge. 

“No he knows we’re here. We won’t stay much longer, I think Ron’s a bit tired,” Archie replied again, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“It’s no problem just get to be at a reasonable hour. Hiram is out for the night for I don’t think you’ll be disturbed. Have a good night,” Hermione finished as she floated out of the kitchen.

“Good night Hermione,” they all chorused. 

“I think I’ll help Ron back to her room and then we should probably head off Jug. I don’t want to keep Dad waiting,” Archie said as he lifted Veronica into his arms, and slowly walking out of the kitchen, careful not to disturb her.

“I should probably head to bed soon too Jug, I’m exhausted,” Betty complained, leaning forward and falling into his chest. Jughead chuckled to himself, pushing her off him slowly.

“I’m no Archie but I could carry you to your room if you’d like,” Jughead suggested, waggling his eyebrows playfully as her laughter filled the spacious kitchen.

“My very own knight in shining armor,” she joked, standing up and pulling Jughead up to stand beside her. “It’s a very kind offer Juggie, but I think I’ll manage all on my lonesome,” she said as she dragged him down the hall and into her room, jumping down on her bed. He sat down beside her, his eyes glued on the wall with a strange look on his face.

“What’s the matter?” Betty asked, running her hand up his arm.

“You kept my note.” His voice was soft with wonder and Betty followed his gaze to look above her bed. Sure enough, there on the wall was the note that Betty had stuck up there two weeks prior after their camping trip. 

_I love you and I will always be there for you. - Juggie_

“Of course I kept your note Jug,” Betty said softly, reaching up to cup his face.

“But, why?” He sounded so confused that Betty couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped her lips. 

“Because it’s important to me. I never want to forget our camping trip and I never will, especially not with a part of it hanging over my bed every night.” Betty almost cringed at her own words but held off when she saw the pure, unmasked love swimming in the depths of Jughead’s eyes, drawing her in and trapping her. “I love you Juggie, and that note just helps remind me that you really do love me and it’s not just my mind playing tricks on me,” Betty finished quietly, her hands moving around to the back of Jughead’s neck.

“Betts, you know I love you, and I won’t ever let you forget it.” He leant forward so their foreheads were touching. They were so close but not close enough. Neither of them wanted to make the first move, aware that they would have to stop soon but knowing they wouldn’t be able to stop once they started. Sure enough, Archie knocked on the door before opening it slowly, giving both of them enough time to move apart.

“Jug, we’ve got to go. Dad just called and said he wants us home for dinner.”

“Is V ok?” Betty asked.

“I don’t know. She’s kind of scaring me and I don’t know how to help her or what she needs and I just want to be there for her. She’s kind of my whole world and if something happened to her …” His sobs broke his rambling as he broke to pieces, the events of the day finally catching up to him. Betty stood up from the bed and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly and rubbing his back in what she hoped was a soothing manner.

“It’s gonna be ok Arch, we’ll figure it out,” Betty told him as he tried to pull himself together, taking a few minutes to succeed. 

“I’m really glad you’re here Betty. Keep an eye on her for me. I don’t think she’ll be coming to school tomorrow but let me know if she needs anything and I’ll be over as soon as I can.” Archie’s breathing had started to even out but his eyes were still watering faster than her could dry them, the tear stains down his cheeks shimmering in the soft lighting. 

“I promise Arch. Go see your dad, he’s probably still waiting for you.” Betty hugged him one more time, kissing his cheek before he walked out of the door. 

“Thanks Betts, you’re amazing,” Jughead told her as he walked towards the door, kissing her sweetly.

“See you tomorrow, I love you.”

“I love you Betts,” he said quietly before joining Archie in the hall. Betty heard the familiar sound of Archie’s car as it drove down the street minutes later. 

\--------------------

Betty got home from school the next day and immediately flopped down on the couch next to Veronica. She was wrapped up in a blanket and pyjamas whilst nibbling on an apple, reruns of some old 90’s sitcom playing in the background.

“How are you feeling V?” Betty asked cautiously, not sure if Veronica was up to talking. They hadn’t seen each other that morning since Ronnie had slept in until mid morning, waking up long after Betty had left for school.

“A bit better,” she said quietly, her voice croaky from disuse.

“I’m glad because school was a total bore without you. Reggie and some other guys from the football team came and sat with us at lunch. Jughead was able to fake his way through the conversation but it all went completely over my head. I missed you.” A soft smile crossed Veronica’s face and Betty took that as a small victory. 

“I feel sort of numb,” Ronnie confessed once the episode’s credits filled the screen. “It’s like I was feeling everything and then once I found out about my dad it all became a bit too much and now it’s just … nothing.”

“Do you want to tell me what happened with your dad?” Betty was curious but she didn’t want to push Ronnie further than she was comfortable. Veronica nodded slightly and looked down at her apple core.

“He’s being investigated for embezzlement and fraud. If they find anything he’ll be going to jail for a long time. Mum says that the house should be safe but she’s not sure how much they’ll take away. She didn’t sound very confident in his innocence. I know that he’s never around anyway but at least he could be, at least I could pretend that he cared even a little bit. If he goes to jail then he won’t be there anymore. I don’t think I can deal with that.”

Both girls stayed silent for a long time, neither of them quite sure what to say. Betty watched Veronica and could see a glimmer of the girl she’d come to know so well. Only a glimmer could be seen behind the broken corpse that was sitting next to her on the couch. Betty moved over so she could pull Veronica into her, letting her rest her head on her lap. 

“I feel like watching ‘The Notebook’, how does that sound?” Betty asked gently, remembering Veronica’s enthusiasm the last time they’d watched the movie together. Veronica nodded once more, her eyes fluttering closed at the soothing feeling of Betty’s fingers running through her hair. Betty grabbed the remote and loaded the movie, noticing a hint of a smile of Veronica’s lips as Ryan Gosling appeared on the screen for the first time. 

Betty’s phone buzzed halfway through the movie, pulling Betty out of the story as she reached for it. Instead of the message from Jughead she was half expecting, the screen revealed a message from Archie; a rare event but not unexpected given the circumstances.

 _Arch: How is she?_ Betty looked down at Ronnie, her head still resting in her lap and her eyes trained on the screen, soaking up every detail.

_Betts: We’ve crashed on the couch and we’re watching ‘The Notebook’. She’s doing a bit better but she’s still not great. How are you?_

_Arch: Worried. If I call you can you put her on the phone?_

“V?” Betty said softly. Veronica shifted slightly and looked up at her. “Do you want to talk to Archie?” 

“Is he here?” She croaked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“No but he wants to call. Are you ok to talk to him?”

“Can you ask him to come over?” Veronica asked timidly, her eyes large and pleading.

_Betts: She wants you to come over_

_Arch: Tell her I’ll be there in 10._ Betty moved to tell Ronnie what he’d said but she’d already turned her attention back to the screen. They heard a knock on the door eight minutes late before Archie walked into the apartment, kneeling down in front of Veronica and kissing her hand, holding it loosely in his.

“How are you?” Archie asked gently, finally managing to get rid of the glazed look that seemed plastered on her face.

“Can you help me get to bed? My legs feel like jelly,” Ronnie said with a wheeze which sounded like a feeble attempt at a laugh. Betty paused the film as Archie helped Ronnie walk out of the room, leaving the couple alone for a few minutes before retreating to her bedroom with the intention of getting ahead on some homework. She sat at her desk for ten minutes, tapping her pencil and staring off into space, before she gave up and pulled out her phone. She checked the time in New Zealand before sending off a message to Kevin asking if he was free. In true Kevin fashion, he called her less than five minutes later. Betty let out a breath of relief when she saw his face fill up the small screen.

“Kia ora Betty, how’s it going?”

“Oh my god, Kev, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. I’ve missed you so much.”

“Aww, thanks B, I miss you too. What’s going on?”

“I’ve just had an exhausting couple of days. There’s some stuff going on with my host family and Veronica isn’t taking it very well. She’s kind of … imploded and it’s really scary. I just needed to talk to you.”

“B, you know I’m always here for you. What do you need me to do?” Kevin asked enthusiastically.

“Distract me. Gossip, clothes, boys, anything.”

“Your wish is my command,” Kevin replied with a small bow. Betty laughed and listened to him as he rambled on about various thing she’d missed out on. She interrupted occasionally, usually in disbelief, but let Kevin talk for the most part. Archie knocked on her door half an hour later. 

“Hey Betty, I’m heading off. Ron’s asleep but I don’t know how long she’ll stay that way since she told me she’d been napping on and off all day. Do you mind checking on her?” Archie asked from the doorway.

“Yeah, sure Arch, it’s no problem,” Betty said to Archie before momentarily turning her attention back to her phone. “Hey Kev, there’s someone here I want you to meet.” She motioned for Archie to come over and join her and he reluctantly sat down next to Betty. “Kev this is Archie. Archie this my best friend Kevin.”

“Nice to meet you Archie. Any chance you have a boyfriend?” Betty laughed at the blush that came across Archie’s face as he struggled to understand what had just happened and mumble a comprehensible response at the same time.

“He’s dating V, Kev, so back off,” Betty managed to get out between laughs, her eyes watering. “Sorry about that Arch, Kev isn’t exactly known for being discreet.

“Hey, there’s no harm in trying,” Kevin tried to defend himself. 

“It was an experience meeting you Kevin but sadly I have to go, my dad is waiting downstairs. See you Betty, bye Kevin,” Archie said with a wave before walking out the door, leaving Kevin to continue his gossiping. 

They talked for another hour, both of them convinced that they’d had an ab workout from the amount of laughing they did. They hung up with the promise to call again soon and Betty went to check on Veronica. 

“Hey V,” Betty said as she walked into Veronica’s room, finding her curled up under the covers reading.

“Good timing B, I just woke up.” Veronica closed her book and set it down on the table behind her. Betty lay down on the bed facing Ronnie.

“Lucky me,” Betty said with a smile. “You look better.”

“I feel a bit better. Archie and I talked for a bit and sorted some stuff out. I’m definitely not back to normal but I feel better,” Ronnie mumbled, a soft smile playing on her lips at the mention of Archie. 

“He really cares about you V.” Betty said softly, the smile of Ronnie’s face growing.

“I know. He’s been pretty incredible the last couple of days. I don’t really know what I’d do without him.” Ronnie fiddled with the edge of the duvet, pulling it tighter around herself. “As much as I love talking about Archie, and trust me when I say we will be continuing this conversation at a later date, I’m already falling asleep again.”

“No problem V. Sleep well.” Betty climbed off the bed and turned off the light, shutting the door quietly behind her. 

\--------------------

Betty walked into the kitchen and found Hermione already sitting at the table, sipping on a cup of tea.

“Hi Betty, I thought you girls had already gone to bed,” Hermione said politely.

“That was the plan but I’m starving. I haven’t eaten much today.” Betty opened the fridge, not sure if she’d ever get used to the amount of food which was always there.

“I think there’s some leftover chinese if you want to heat that up.” Betty found it in the back of the fridge and transferred it into a bowl, putting it in the microwave before joining Hermione at the table.

“How is Veronica after yesterday? Is she any better?”

“She’s getting there but she’s still having a bit of a rough time. Archie managed to snap her out of it a bit but she’s still exhausted.” 

“There’s a lot going on at the moment.” The microwave beeped and Betty stood up to grab her food before rejoining Hermione.

“I don’t know if I’m overstepping but is everything ok? Ronnie told me a little bit of what’s going on and it sounds quite serious,” Betty queried, blowing on her food to cool it down.

“It’s nothing for the two of you to worry about, everything’s under control. This investigation should all be cleared up in a month or so and until then there’s not much we can do.” Hermione answered diplomatically, taking a sip of her tea to indicate that the conversation was over.

“I did have something that I wanted to ask you. Is it ok if Ronnie and I go to the Greendale fair next weekend with Archie and Jughead?” Betty asked hopefully as Hermione stood up to put her half empty mug in the sink.

“Yes, I suppose so. As long as it’s ok with Fred. I think Hiram and I have an event to attend in New York that weekend but I’ll have to check.”

“Ok, thank you Hermione,” Betty said gratefully, taking another bite of her noodles.

“No problem Betty, have a good night,” Hermione said over her shoulder as she left the room, leaving Betty all alone with her noodles until her phone buzzed.

_Juggie: Sleep well beautiful xx_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was a bit of a roller coaster but I promise lots of Bughead fluff next chapter. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think :)


	13. The Fair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a lot of Bughead fluff and some Kiwi!Betty because why not. I really hope you like it and don't forget to leave me a comment telling me what you thought :)  
> (unbeta'd)

Friday rolled around slowly. The whole week seemed to have turned into a blur of homework and assignments and by Friday night, the four of them decided they deserved Pop’s and movies to celebrate the start of the weekend . For once, they’d decided to meet up at the Lodge’s apartment instead of the Andrews’ household, purely due to the fact that Ronnie wanted to sleep in her own bed and knew that probably wouldn’t happen if they were at the Andrews’.

All of them had been cutting Veronica a bit of slack after her breakdown the previous week. She was starting to return to her normal self but still looked tired and weary behind her mask of makeup, her extensive wardrobe helping to hide the fact that she felt like she was carrying a world full of emotions on her back.

Once the boys had finished helping Fred at a construction site after school they headed over to join their girlfriend’s, both carrying large bags of take away burgers and fries. They let themselves in and found the girls in the living room, dancing around to an upbeat pop song in their pyjamas.

“Hey guys, how’s it going?” Archie asked as he walked over and gave Ronnie and quick kiss. 

“Arch you saw us four hours ago at school. Funnily enough not a lot has changed,” Betty quipped as she walked over Jughead. He chuckled at her reply and kissed her forehead, pulling her into his side.

“Oh god, they’re turning into each other,” Veronica muttered into Archie’s chest, making no effort to be quiet. All four of them started laughing as they made their way over to the enormous couch. 

“Did you guys bring your pyjamas?” Betty asked as she started opening one of the bags of food and stealing a chip. 

“Oops, sorry B. I knew there was something I forgot to do and it must’ve been asking the boys to bring their pj’s,” Veronica said sheepishly, sinking further into Archie as he hugged her tighter.

“Don’t worry about it babe. I’m sure I’ve left something here at some point,” Archie said kissing the top of her head. He gave her a reassuring squeeze before disappearing down the hall. Betty stood up and dragged Jughead down the hall in search of something for him to wear. She shuffled through her drawers for a few moments before handing him Kevin’s shirt and a large pair of grey sweatpants. He flashed her a grateful smile and changed into them quickly, the surprise evident on his face when the pants actually fit.

“Betts, why do you have sweatpants big enough to fit me?” Jughead inquired with a smirk, moving closer to her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

“At my school it’s sort of the unofficial uniform when we have mufti days. Everyone wears baggy grey fat pants from the Warehouse that are rolled up a million times at the ankle, a white singlet, and double dutch braids,” Betty replied with a shrug as she wrapped her arms around his neck. 

“I honestly didn’t understand half of what you just said. Mufti, fat pants, the Warehouse. Are you sure they speak English down under?” Jughead teased.

“First of all, definitely English. If I can understand you three talking I have no idea why you can’t understand me but maybe that’s just one of my many gifts.” Jughead laughed at the smug grin on her face. 

“And secondly, ‘down under’ is Australia. If you get us mixed up I’ll probably have to break up with you.” Her tone was serious but Jughead could see the teasing twinkle in her eye and kissed her quickly on the end of her nose. Betty scrunched it up and shot him an annoyed look unwrapping her arms and turning to walk out the door. Jughead grabbed her waist and pulled her into the air, causing her to squeal as he dropped her onto her bed and started kissing her neck.

“Are you sure we have to watch a movie? I’d much rather stay here with you,” Jughead mumbled into her neck, setting her skin on fire as she tried to concentrate on anything but his lips. She pushed him off her after a short while and kissed him slowly, pulling back only slightly to rest her forehead against his. 

“There’s nothing I want more but we need to go and hang out with our friends,” Betty said quietly, wanting nothing more than to stay here with him all night but knowing that wasn’t possible. 

“Fine,” he groaned exaggeratedly, grabbing her hand and hauling her onto her feet. “But I still want to know whatever you were talking about before. I like it when you talk Kiwi to me,” Jughead joked as he threw his arm around her shoulders, walking towards the door.

“Mean as bro,” Betty said back, somehow exaggerating her accent. 

“But … what? That wasn’t mean, was it? And I’m not your brother so why say bro?” Betty burst out laughing at Jughead’s confused reaction, kissing his cheek lovingly before dragging him down the hallway and back into the living room.

\--------------------

“Juggie?” Betty shook his shoulder gently as she tried to wake him up.

“Mhmm,” he mumbled, his eyes still closed. Jughead rolled his head towards her slightly to indicate he was listening and semi-awake.

“The movie’s finished. I would carry you to bed but, well, you know,” He chuckled and could tell that she was gesturing to his body even though he couldn’t see her. 

“Mhmm,” Jughead mumbled once more. He felt Betty’s hand clasp his and pull it forward. He stood up unwillingly and let her lead him down the hall into her room. She let go of his hand once she’d stepped through the door and Jughead reluctantly forced his eyelids to flutter open, finding himself staring straight into the depths of Betty’s deep green eyes. 

“Hey,” she whispered, knowing that Archie and Veronica wouldn’t be able to hear them if they talked normally but not wanting to risk waking them up.

“Hey,” he whispered back sleepily, a lazy smile on his face. Betty kissed him softly, her eyes closing as she got lost in his lips.

“I love you.” She stepped forward and wrapped her arm around his torso, resting her head on his chest and allowing herself to melt into him. Jughead kissed the top of her head gently before lifting her up and placing on her bed, pulling back the covers and then letting Betty bundle herself up under them. He slid in next to her, draping his arm over her waist and kissing her shoulder one last time before falling asleep once more.

\--------------------

Jughead woke up in the middle of the morning. The other side of Betty’s bed was empty but from the smell wafting through the half open door she was in the kitchen. He readjust his beanie and wandered sleepily out of the bedroom, only just managing not to trip over his own feet. Betty was standing by the stove flipping pancakes, a sizable stack already sitting off to the side. Jughead walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on the top of her head.

“Hey Jug,” Betty giggled as she slipped the pancake out of the pan and onto the top of the stack, double checking it wasn’t burnt before pouring another spoonful of mixture into the pan.

“Hey babe, you sleep well?” Jughead asked groggily, still not quite awake.

“Better than I have in awhile,” Betty admitted, grabbing one of his hands from her waist and kissing it gently. Jughead turned her around and placed a soft kiss on her lips, pulling her in close to him. She held onto him tightly for a moment before untangling herself from Jughead’s arms so she didn’t burn the pancake, giving Jughead the perfect opportunity to swipe the freshest pancake from the top of the stack. Betty playfully hit him on the arm and he munched on the pancake with a satisfied grin, hauling himself up onto the bench and sitting down facing her.

“I can’t believe how good your pancakes are Betts. I swear they get better every time you make them,” Jughead managed to get out between bites, the pancake vanishing in seconds. 

“You flatter me Jug, although I think you might be a bit biased,” Betty pointed out as she took the pancake out of the pan.

“And why’s that?”

“Because you love me,” Betty stated, stepping away from the stove.

“If you say so,” Jughead teased, slipping off the bench and kissing her once again, his fingers running through her loose hair.

“Ok, we get it, you love it each other. Any chance we could get some pancakes without the PDA?” Veronica asked playfully as her and Archie entered the room, making their way over to the table which Betty had already set.

“Whatever happened to kissing the chef?” Jughead quipped as he sat down opposite Archie. Betty bought the pancakes over and the all helped themselves. 

“You guys ready for the fair this afternoon?” Betty asked as she loaded her pancakes with maple syrup. Everyone else was already eating so there was a momentary silence before Archie answered. 

“Ron has an extra cheer practice and I’m not the biggest fan of third wheeling but you guys go ahead.”

“You wouldn’t be third wheeling,” Betty protested.

“B, no offense, but you and Jughead can’t keep your hands off each other for more than about three seconds. At least when Archiekins and I are with you we can find other stuff to do but if it was just him and you two for a whole afternoon, he would be the very definition of a third wheel,” Veronica pointed out. Betty felt Jughead move his hand off her thigh under the table, her cheeks turning a deep red. 

“Really Betty, don’t worry about it,” Archie reassured Betty. She sent a desperate look at Jughead who just shrugged, perfectly happy that he got to spend the afternoon alone with his girlfriend. 

“Only if you’re sure Arch.”

“I’m sure Betty. Honestly, don’t worry about it. We hung out together last night anyway,” Archie reassured Betty once more. She sent him an apologetic smile before taking another bite of her pancakes. The four of them laughed and chatted as the pancakes disappeared, leaving all of them happy without a trace of hunger.

\--------------------

Lunchtime came around quickly and Archie and Ronnie headed off so Archie could drop her off at cheer on his way back home. Jughead and Betty got changed out of their pyjamas and headed off to Greendale, stopping off at Pop’s on the way for burgers despite having eaten them the night before.

The trip wasn’t very long but Betty could have sworn it passed in the blink of an eye. Whenever she was with Jughead time seemed to speed up and all she wanted was for it to slow down. She knew better than anyone that their time together was limited so she wanted to make the most of every second they spent together, even if those seconds seemed to fly out the window. 

They could hear the music and noise of the fair from a mile away and managed to get a park close to the entrance. Jughead chuckled to himself at the way Betty’s face lit up when they got into the fair, finding everything colourful and exciting.There were people everywhere and Jughead subconsciously draped his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her quickly. Betty realised what he was doing and placed a small kiss on his cheek, leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked along the dirt path. 

“Are you any good with rides Betts,” Jughead asked, nearly yelling to be heard over the noise surrounding them. 

“Love them. You’re gonna have to drag me away from here,” Betty quipped, bumping into his side as he laughed.

“Good to know. I’m normally ok with them but I won’t go on anything that goes upside down,” Jughead told her. 

“I guess we won’t be going on that one then.” Betty pointed to an attraction on the opposite side of the fair. It was a long metal structure with seats on either end. The people in the seats were screaming and yelling as they were spun around in a giant circle, the seats wobbling precariously. Jughead’s face went pale at the sight of it and Betty giggled softly at his reaction.

“I’ll take that as a no then,” Betty teased. “Why don’t we start off with the ferris wheel?” She suggested. Jughead started leading them towards it in lieu of a response, paying for their tickets before joining the queue. 

“I wonder if we’ll be able to see Riverdale from here,” Betty pondered out loud. “Or maybe even Sweetwater!” Jughead kissed her quickly, aware of the people around them but unable to help himself when she looked as gorgeous as she did in that moment. Betty smiled as his lips left hers.

“I think Ron was right,” Jughead said, a smile playing on his lips.

“Right about what?” Betty asked as the line inched forward.

“I can’t keep my hands off you.”

“Good, because I don’t want you to,” Betty replied, kissing him again. Jughead’s smile grew bigger as he pulled her into his side, planting another kiss on the crown of her head. They reached the front of the line moments later, sliding into the empty seats. Betty snuggled into his side as soon as they left the ground, her eyes dancing all around them as though she couldn’t decide what to look at. The ferris wheel jolted around in a large circle. Giving them a long moment at the very top. Sure enough, Riverdale was visible just beyond the tree line of the forest bordering Sweetwater river.

“Betts, there’s our campground,” Jughead said softly, pointing to a large field just in front of the trees. Betty shifted slightly so she could look at them.

“Our campground?” Betty queried, her eyebrows raised.

“Well, yeah. You know it’s … it’s like our place. I mean, we have that rock by Sweetwater and we kind of have th-” Betty broke him off with a kiss, knowing that if she didn’t stop him he’d start rambling even more than he already was.

“I like having places just for us,” Betty said quietly, leaning back into his side. 

“I love you Betts” Jughead told her, pulling her closer.

“I love you Juggie,” Betty replied with a lovesick smile on her face. In that moment, she couldn’t help but feel like it was just the two of them, the rest of the world spread out below them in such a picturesque manner that it almost felt as if nothing bad could ever happen to them. The only probably was that it can, and it would in exactly 12 weeks. Betty suddenly felt slightly sick to her stomach and it had nothing to do with the ride.

\--------------------

Betty dragged Jughead into a photo booth as soon as their feet touched the ground.

“Everything ok babe?” Jughead asked as he noticed the urgency with which Betty was moving. She looked up at him slightly dazed, almost as if she wasn’t quite with him.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. I just really want to remember this day,” Betty said, as softly as she could over the noise. She kissed him quickly before pulling back the curtain of the booth and pulling him inside. She fumbled with her wallet and put some cash into the machine.

“Are you sure that’s all? If it’s because of the crowds or something we can come back another time,” Jughead suggested, his voice laced with concern. Betty reached across and stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. He lifted his hand up and rested it over hers, intertwining their fingers.

“It’s nothing to do with that it’s just … don’t worry about it. We can talk about it later ok? I promise I’m fine.” Betty leaned forward and kissed him gently. She had intended for it to be quick so they could take the photos but Jughead had a different idea. He untangled their fingers and cupped her face, pulling her closer. They pulled away slowly, reluctantly, both of them gasping for air. 

“I love you Betty, don’t ever forget that,” Jughead said quietly, looking into her eyes as his thumb stroked her cheek. She leant into his touch and closed her eyes for just a moment, wanting nothing more than to live in this feeling until the end of time.

“I won’t,” Betty breathed out, not quite sure how to show him how true she hoped their words were. They stayed like that for a moment longer before breaking out of their bubble. 

“How does this work? Is there a button or something you press?” Betty asked as she looked around the small booth.

“I’m pretty sure it starts taking photos once you put the money in,” Jughead replied, searching for a list of instructions or something which could help them. Betty stood up and pulled back the curtain, basking them in the warm sunlight. Sure enough, right there in the plastic box, was a small sheet of photos. Betty looked at them and gasped, Jughead joining her seconds later to see what had happened, his hand automatically lifting to the small of her back as he stood beside her. 

The photos were perfect. Even though there were only four they seemed to force the emotion onto whoever was looking at them. The first photo was of both of them facing each other, Jughead’s mouth open as he talked. Betty could see the love in his eyes as he stared at her, the intensity of his gaze somewhat comforting. The second showed Betty with her hand on Jughead’s cheek, his hand resting on top of hers and their fingers almost intertwined. The third was of them kissing, somehow all of the words Betty couldn’t say were shown on that piece of paper and it was overwhelming. The final picture showed Jughead with his hand on Betty’s face, her eyes closed as she leant against him. She looked calm, peaceful, the complete opposite of how she’d felt before she stepped into that booth.

“Thank you Jug,” Betty said as she leant up and kissed his cheek. He smiled down at her before replying.

“Anytime babe.”

\--------------------

They spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the fair, hand in hand, and doing all of the rides they came across. Betty purposely steered them away from the very end of the fair, knowing that Jughead would probably be sick he he got too close to the ride she’d pointed out when they first arrived. The sun hung low in the sky by the time that got back to the truck, both of them still high on adrenaline from everything they’d done that afternoon. Betty put her hands into the front of her sweatshirt and pulled out the strip of photos they’d taken in the photo booth, stroking her fingers over the glossy paper.

“Is now a good time to talk babe?” Jughead asked as he took note of her expression, remembering the conversation they’d been having mere hours ago. 

“Can you pull over up here? I want to watch the sunset.” Jughead nodded in understanding, pulling off onto the side of the road, grateful for the lack of traffic. He hopped out of the front and walked around to the back, opening the tailgate and helping Betty climb into the bed of the truck. He got in after her and grabbed the blanket that they always left back there, wrapping it around their shoulders as he sat down next to her. 

“What’s going on?” He asked softly after they’d sat in silence for a few minutes. The sun had dipped below the tree line by the time she answered, the soft yellows and oranges streaked the purple sky and cast her face in an ethereal light. If he didn’t know her any better he’d almost say that she looked peaceful but he could see the torment in her eyes. 

“I leave in exactly three months,” Betty stated, looking out over the trees. “I leave in three months and I am so excited to go home and see Polly, and Kevin, and all of my other friends and family but then seeing them means that I have to leave you. I’ll have to leave you and V and Archie and I can’t imagine my life without you three in it.” She finally turned to face him and Jughead could see the tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

“Then we’ll have to make these the best three months of your entire life,” Jughead said with a small smile, trying to keep himself from thinking about her leaving. He reached forward and cupped her face in his hands, using his thumbs to wipe her cheeks of the few tears that had managed to escape. “I am so grateful that I met you Betts, even if it’s only for 10 months. The time that we’ve spent together has already been so amazing and I love you so much. I don’t know what’s going to happen with us when you … when you go back home but we’ll figure it out, ok? We’ll figure it out.” Jughead almost sounded like he was reassuring himself as he continued to wipe her cheeks, Betty unable to fight off the tears any longer. “Is that why you were acting weird in the photo booth?” Betty nodded and leant into his shoulder, needing to be closer to him.

“It suddenly hit me that this is all coming to an end even though all I want is for it to carry on forever.” Betty started tracing mindless patterns on his leg as she looked out at the purple sky, the light of the sun almost gone.“I feel like I’m always crying on you,” She said with a watery laugh.

“There’s no one else I’d rather have ruin my shirts,” Jughead joked, causing both of them to laugh. They laughed until they’d run out of breath, not because of Jughead’s remark but just because it gave them something to do other than cry. The darkness of the sky overhead revealed a field of stars and they lay down on their backs, Jughead’s feet dangling off the end of the truck. Betty rested her head on his chest as she looked up at the sky, trying to find a new constellation.

“I can see a crown,” Jughead said after a while, having figured out what Betty was doing after the last time they’d been stargazing together. He lifted his arms from around her shoulder to point it out. Betty curled further into his as she realised what he was doing, tears threatening to spill from her eyes once more at the simple gesture.

“I can’t believe you remember,” Betty said in disbelief.

“Of course I remember. It was something important to you so how could I forget?” Jughead stated as if it were the most logical thing in the world. His fingers moved up to run through her hair and they kept staring up into the darkness, looking for patterns in the light.

Once the heat of the sun had run away, they silently decided that it was time to go home. They sat up and unwrapped themselves from the blanket, walking back around the truck and hopping inside. Jughead kept his hand on her knee the whole trip home as Betty stared out the window, watching the fields whiz past as they sped through the darkness.

\--------------------

Riverdale came into view much too quickly, the black of the night only interrupted by the occasional streetlight, most of Riverdale’s residents having gone to bed hours ago. They drove past Pop’s and saw Archie’s car in the parking lot, both of them spotting a familiar redheaded jock and raven haired princess sitting in the window. They kept driving and Jughead pulled up outside the Pembrook. He turned to say goodnight to Betty but she bet him to it.

“Do you want to come inside?” Jughead sent her a look telling her that she already knew the answer before opening the truck door and following her into the building. She unlocked the door and led him inside, heading straight for her room. 

“I can’t stay tonight sorry Betts. Fred already asked me to help out on the site tomorrow and I figure it’s the least I can do after spending the last few days with you,” Jughead said as they walked down the hall. 

“Can you just … read to me for a bit or something? I don’t want you to leave just yet,” Betty said quietly, meeting his eye briefly before turning away to find her pyjamas. Jughead wordlessly walked over to her small bookshelf, trying to pick a book as she got changed. 

“How does ‘The Princess Bride’ sound?” Jughead asked as he pulled it off the shelf.

“As you wish,” Betty quipped with a cheeky grin as she got under her duvet, wrapping the blankets around her. Jughead slipped his shoes off and then came and sat next to her, lifting his arm so she could fit under it comfortably which she did without instruction. Jughead’s calming voice carried out across the large room, Betty’s eyelids drooping as he got carried away with the story. 

By the time he’d finished the second chapter her breathing had evened out. He kissed Betty’s forehead gently before carefully sliding off the bed. He laced up his shoes and then noticed a blank piece of paper sitting by her bed. He grabbed a pen off her desk and wrote a quick note, putting it back beside her bed where she would find it in the morning. He kissed her forehead once more before slipping out the door and driving back to the Andrews household.

\--------------------

Archie snuck into his room just minutes after Jughead arrived. He jumped when he saw Jughead sitting on his bed, not expecting to see him.

“Jeez Jug, you scared me,” Archie exclaimed, one hand flying to his chest as though his heart exaggeratedly. Jughead chuckled at his reaction and closed his laptop.

“I can be pretty scary when I’m typing, I agree,” Jughead quipped. “How was your date with Veronica?” 

“How did you know about that?” Archie asked as he tossed his bag into a corner.

“Betty and I saw you guys when we drove past Pop’s on the way home from Greendale.”

“Oh, right. Yeah it was good. It wasn’t anything major but it was nice to spend some time with her after everything that she’s had going on,” Archie said as he toed off his shoes, flopping onto his bed.

“Is she doing ok?” Jughead questioned. Him and Veronica may not be best friends but he still cared about her, no matter how little he chose to show it.

“She’s ok. I think she’s still a bit overwhelmed by everything but she’s coping better. The investiga- things should settle down in a couple of weeks so hopefully she’ll feel a bit better then.” 

“I hope Ron gets better, it’s weird to see her so quiet. I know Betty’s been really worried about her but you’re helping more than you know Arch.”

“I know but I still feel like I’m not doing enough. Betty’s been great. She seems to know how to act around Ron and I guess with her anxiety she probably knows how to handle it a bit better than we do.”

“Yeah she’s pretty amazing,” Jughead said with an absent minded smile. “By the way, we’re helping your dad tomorrow morning.” Archie groaned loudly and lay down on his bed. 

“I should probably get some sleep then. I know you can stay up all hours and not get tired but if I turn up looking like a zombie Dad’s gonna kill me,” Archie said seriously and Jughead chuckled, knowing that there was a great amount of truth behind Archie’s words. 

“Fair enough. Night Arch.”

“Night Jug.”

\--------------------

Betty woke up the following morning, checked her phone, saw that it was eight in the morning, and then went back to sleep. When she actually woke up an hour later she went to reach for her phone again but found herself grasping a piece of paper she didn’t remember putting there the night before. Brow furrowed in confusion, she grabbed it and held it up against the low light that was filtering in through her curtains.

_This is true love. You think this happens every day?_

Her heart fluttered with excitement as she read the familiar handwriting, immediately recognising the words. She pulled back her covers and walked over to her desk, grabbing some tape before returning to her bed and sticking the note right above the last one. Betty smiled as she read his words once more, running her fingers over the ink before grabbing her phone once more.

_Betts: I will never love again_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter! Once again, it went in a slightly different direction than what I'd planned but I still like it. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought :)


	14. The Question

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for such a slow update. School has been kicking my butt and not leaving me a lot of free time to write sadly. Hopefully there won't be such a huge delay next time but my schedule seems to change without much warning so no promises but I'll try my best. Please let me know what you think, it really does mean a lot to me :)  
> (unbeta'd)

It had only been three days since the fair but Jughead and Betty were already planning their next getaway. Well, Jughead was.

“Betts, I know you’re free this weekend so we’re going camping,” Jughead stated as he slid into the booth next to her, his arm automatically resting across her shoulders. “And before you say anything, I already asked Fred and he’s fine with it and I happen to know Hermione is out Saturday night.” Jughead punctuated his sentence by placing a quick kiss on her lips, her eyes wide in shock as she tried to process what had happened in the last ten seconds.

“Hey Jug, nice to see you too. Camping this weekend? Sounds perfect.” Betty kissed him back as he chuckled against her lips. “I can’t wait,” she said softly, dropping her head to his shoulder as he pulled her in closer. “You know Ron and Arch are gonna be here any minute and they’re probably gonna want to make plans for this weekend is Hermione’s away again,” Betty pointed out, shifting slightly to look up at him.

“Trust me, they’ll be fine with it. Archie’s the reason I found out about Hermione so I think they’ll be more than happy we’re not there,” Jughead said with a knowing grin. He dropped a kiss to her forehead as she settled back into his side. A handful of minutes later, Veronica and Archie sat down in the vinyl booth across from their friends. To no one’s surprise, they were definitely not complaining that their friends were going to be elsewhere for the weekend.

\--------------------

Betty was up bright and early on Saturday morning, making her way over to the Andrews’ before Veronica had lifted her silk sleep mask. Jughead was carrying his bag out to the truck as she arrived at the house.

“Hey Betts, how’s it going?” Jughead asked as he tossed his bag into the bed of the truck and then made his way over to the bottom of the steps where Betty was waiting.

“Not too bad Juggie,” Betty replied as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulling him down to eye level. “But I get the feeling it’s about to go a whole lot better.” He leant forward slightly, closing the gap between them and feeling her smile against his lips. Jughead’s phone buzzed as they pulled apart. He reluctantly fished it out of his pocket, one hand still resting on Betty’s hip as the screen lit up.

_Dad: Hey Jug, when would you be free to come over? There’s something I want to talk to you about_

Jughead’s smile dropped and his face went pale. Betty moved her hands from around his neck to stroke his cheek, bringing him back to her. 

“Juggie, what’s wrong?” Her voice was soft and quiet, a complete contrast to all of the thoughts racing around in his head.

“My dad just sent me a text asking me to come over when I’m free because he wants to talk to me.” Jughead’s voice was slightly hollow as he spoke. A confused expression came over Betty’s face as she tried to make sense of what he’d just told her.

“What’s wrong with that? He probably just misses you and wants to catch up,” Betty said in a tone she hoped was consoling. Judging from his unchanged expression she figured it hadn’t quite worked. 

“Betts, you don’t get it. The last time I saw my Dad was back before Christmas when you met him. We don’t talk, we don’t ‘catch up’. I go and help him when he falls off the wagon and other than that we pretty much steer clear of each other. There’s something wrong.” Jughead raised his voice as his hands flailed in all directions. 

“I’m sorry but I need to go and see him. We can leave a bit later but I need to sort this out first. I’ll call you when I’m done.” Jughead leant down to kiss her goodbye but Betty put her hands on his shoulders to stop him.

“You’re a complete idiot if you don’t think I’m coming with you.” She finally kissed him before walking over and sitting in the passenger seat of the truck, looking at him impatiently. He got the message and figured there was no point arguing, making his way behind the wheel and starting the car.

\--------------------

Jughead some how managed to kill the engine and tumble out of his door at the same time as he flew towards the trailer. The car trip had been eerily quiet and Betty was starting to get worried, not just for FP but for Jughead as well. Jughead yanked the door open, his eyes frantically searching for any sign of his father. He froze as soon as he stepped onto the threshold and Betty came up behind him, stopping in her tracks at the sight in front of them. FP was putting the kettle on the stove, turning around at the sound of the door and smiling brightly when he saw the two of them.

“Jug, I didn’t expect you so soon. Is everything ok? You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something,” FP chuckled as he leant back against the kitchen bench. Jughead was still standing frozen in the doorway and Betty put her hand on his lower back, encouraging him to move. He slowly took a step forward, his mouth still wide open as he tried to understand what was going on. 

“Hi Betty, I didn’t see you there.” FP was still smiling, slightly confused as to why his son was looking so bewildered but otherwise in a good mood.

“It’s nice to see you again Mr. Jones. How are you?” Betty asked politely as she steered Jughead into one of the mismatched chairs that surrounded the small dining table. Jughead slowly started to break out of his shock and bring himself back to reality. Only this couldn’t possibly be reality, could it? FP had tidied up the trailer and it was almost spotless. Gone were the empty bottles of booze and dirty packets which seemed to be a permanent feature whenever Jug had come over previously. The bench was free of dirty dishes and there were even cushions on the overstuffed couch.

“Dad, what’s going on?” Jughead butted in before his father could respond to Betty’s question, sounding just as baffled as he felt. His eyes eventually stopped scanning the room and locked with his father’s. He looked … different. It was the kind of different that you couldn’t quite put a finger on but still knew was there.

“What do you mean what’s going on? A father’s not allowed to ask his son to come over for a visit?” FP asked, taking the whistling kettle off the stove and bringing three matching mugs over to the table. 

“Of course they are but you don’t do that, we don’t do that. What’s going on Dad?” Jughead questioned once more, his voice now void of any emotion. 

“Nothing’s going on Jug. I haven’t seen you in a while and I wanted to catch up,” FP said as he poured the hot water into the mugs, adding the tea bags before passing one to Betty and then Jughead. Jughead eyed the drink suspiciously before taking a long sip. Betty placed her hand on his elbow, trying to grab his attention discreetly. He looked at her as he set down his mug down, seeing the look in her eye and feeling himself calm down slightly. He took a deep breath before tearing his gaze away from Betty and looking at his Dad across the table.

“Alright. How have you been, Dad?”

\--------------------

Jughead finally managed to relax after his second cup of tea. FP filled them in on what was happening around the Southside and Jughead talked about school and the Andrews, Betty contributing every once in awhile. Jughead couldn’t help but think how strange this felt, how normal it felt. Never in a million years would he have pictured himself sitting in a clean trailer, laughing with his dad and his beautiful girlfriend over something that had happened to Cheryl in science class a few weeks earlier.

“Actually Jug, there is something I wanted to talk to you about,” FP started once they’d reached a lull in the conversation. Sure enough, nothing good lasts forever. “I was, um, I was wondering if you wanted to move back here, with me.” Jughead froze, his mug halfway to his lips. This couldn’t be happening, could it? Betty felt him tense up beside her and turned to look at him, seeing the fear in his eyes and wanting nothing more in that moment than to hold him tight and never let go. Jughead eventually snapped out of his trace and set his mug down calmly.

“Do you realise what you’re asking me?” His voice was cold and emotionless, scaring Betty a little as she reached for his hand. She squeezed it slightly but he didn’t respond. “God, are you really gonna do this again Dad?” Jughead stood up from his chair, slipping his hand out of Betty’s as he started pacing. “I haven’t talked to you five months and I come and visit you for what, two hours? And you think it’s ok to ask me that? Congratulations on getting sober Dad, really, I mean it. But how long is it gonna last this time? A month? A year?” The hurt was clear in FP’s eyes as he watched his son break in front of him, falling apart in the mismatched room that was as cluttered as the emotions which clouded his judgement.

“I can’t keep doing this Dad. As much as I want us to be one big happy family I can’t keep doing this. I can’t pretend that everything’s fine as you slowly lose yourself in a bottle once more. I can’t fend for myself and I should have to. I’m 17 for Christ’s sake. No one should have to go through the crap you put me through but I did, and I’m not going to give up a good thing now that you’ve finally gotten your act together for longer than a few minutes.” With that he was gone. Jughead yanked the door open and flew out the door, his tea abandoned on the table as Betty tried to comprehend what had just happened. Without so much as a word of goodbye she got up and rushed out the door after him, finding him crouched down beside the truck. His face was hidden in his hands but Betty could tell he was crying. She crouched down next to him and cautiously placed a hand on his back. He stood up abruptly, jerking away from her touch and leaning against the truck, his eyes trained on the ground.

“Jug, talk to me,” Betty demanded softly, carefully approaching him. She was inches away from him but he still wasn’t responding to her so she just stood in front of him, patiently waiting for a reply.

“I’m sorry Betts but I just … I can’t deal with this at the moment. We’ll go away another weekend or something but I can’t do this now. I just need some time ok?” Jughead mumbled. 

“You can’t push me away Jug, not now. Please, just talk to me, let me in,” Betty pleaded, not caring how desperate she sounded. She couldn’t get through to him as he stood there, unmoved by the way her voice broke as tears started trickling down her cheeks. She realised that she wasn’t going to get anything else out of him and silently drew her phone out of her pocket, texting Veronica to send Smithers to pick her up. Jughead climbed into the driver's seat and pulled out of the trailer park without a word, leaving Betty to grow smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror.

\--------------------

The apartment door opened quietly but Veronica was waiting for it, enveloping Betty in her arms as soon as she walked into the room. Betty collapsed into her and let Veronica drag her to the couch. She held her for a long while, smoothing her hair and making soothing sounds until Betty’s sobs eased into small hiccups and the rivers that had been steaming down her face finally dried up.

“B, what’s going on?” Veronica asked softly, lifting Betty up so they were face to face and wiping her cheeks dry. 

“It’s Jughead. His dad asked him something and he completely lost it. I’ve never seen him like that before and I didn’t know what to do. He shut down and he wouldn’t let me in. He wouldn’t talk to me or listen to me or let me touch him and I … I’m really scared V. What if I’m losing him?” Betty asked timidly, her eyes wide with worry as Veronica kept stroking her cheeks.

“B, you are the smartest person I know but sometimes you’re a complete idiot,” Veronica said light heartedly. Betty looked at her confused, not understanding where she was going and not really in the mood to laugh. “There’s no way Jughead would ever let you go, especially not over something like his dad. He’s probably hurt and confused and overwhelmed at the moment so just give him some space and then go over there and talk to him. Don’t worry about it B. It’ll be ok.” Betty sent Veronica a small smile, feeling slightly comforted by her words but unable to ignore that sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew that she was overreacting. She knew that her anxiety was playing tricks on her nothing into something all consuming but she couldn’t help but think that there had to be some truth behind it, no matter how little. 

Betty feels her phone buzz in her pocket and she reaches for it immediately, feeling disappointed when it’s just her mother calling. She ignores the call and then looks through her other notifications, hoping to see Jughead’s name in there somewhere but just finding lots of missed calls from her mother. A small part of her wonders what would prompt her mum to call so many times but a much larger part of her can’t deal with her at the moment. Betty turns off her phone and then turns her attention back to Veronica. 

“Thanks V. Sorry I’m such a mess,” Betty chuckles, reaching her arms out and pulling Veronica in for a quick hug. She brushed imaginary dirt off her jeans before standing up. “I think I’m gonna go for a walk to clear my head or something. I’ll be back later.”

“Stay safe and text me if you need anything.” Betty rolled her eyes playfully, putting on a plastic smile until she had her back turned. The door clicked shut behind her and it took all her strength not to collapse against it. She took a deep breath before dragged herself over to the elevator, eventually getting out of the building and setting off into Riverdale. Alone.

\--------------------

Jughead slowly made his way into the house, his feet subconsciously dragging him up the stairs and into the bathroom. He pushed the door closed with a satisfying click, leaning against the sink and staring into the mirror. His eyes looked dark and tired, slightly puffy from the tears. His jaw was clamped shut and he could feel his teeth grinding but he didn’t care. He felt numb and a faint buzzing had taken over inside his head, all of his thoughts flying out the window. He didn’t even notice Archie coming into the small room until he felt his hand on his shoulder. He jumped in surprise, turning to look at Archie with wide eyes.

“Woah, dude, it’s ok. It’s just me,” Archie said slowly, holding his hands up as though he’d been caught by the police. Jughead let out a deep breath and leant back against the sink, his eyes staying closed. “What’s going on Jug?”

“It’s my dad,” Jughead divulged after a long silence. “He asked me to move back in with him.” Archie winced audibly, now understanding Jughead’s current state. “Yeah,” Jughead chuckled. “That pretty much sums it up.” 

Archie’s phone chimed and he turned on the screen, seeing a message from Ronnie. After a while, Jughead took another deep breath and opened his eyes, seeing Archie look down at his phone with a conflicted expression on his face. 

“Arch, what’s going on?” Jughead asked, sounding indifferent. 

“Um, it’s Ron. She said Betty’s kind of upset.” Archie said cautiously, not sure if that was the best thing for Jughead to hear but also knowing he wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret. Jughead closed his eyes once more and brought his hands up to his face, rubbing his temples. 

“Is she ok?” His voice sounded weak this time, the emotion overwhelming him as the numbness started to fade.

“I don’t know, Ronnie didn’t say. What happened to her?” Archie questioned but Jughead was already out the door.

\--------------------

“Ron, where is she?” Jughead asked frantically as soon as Veronica had opened the apartment door. She looked slightly taken aback by his bluntness but recovered quickly.

“She left about ten minutes ago to go for a walk. She didn’t tell me where she was going but she said she’d be back later,” Ronnie said sympathetically. Jughead stepped back and took a deep breath, trying not to lose it. Betty was upset and somewhere in Riverdale all alone. And it was all because of him.

“Jug, calm down.”

“Saying that isn’t exactly helping Ron but thanks for the advice,” Jughead said dryly.

“I know but I don’t exactly know how to deal with you when you’re like this and that was my best guess. No need to attack me for trying to be nice,” Ronnie replied pointedly.

“Sorry Ron I’m just, I’m just worried about Betts. Was she ok, when you saw her before?” Ronnie paused for a moment before answering but that was all that Jughead needed. “Crap. this day just keeps getting worse,” He mumbled to himself as he walked back to the elevator and then into the truck, setting off around Riverdale.

\--------------------

Jughead drove around for about half an hour, checking all of the usual and obvious spots before he finally realised where she was. He drove over to Sweetwater river and parked haphazardly, rushing out of the car and down to their spot. He found her standing in the shallows of the water, her shoes and socks lay abandoned on the riverbank as the cool water swirled around her legs. She seemed lost in thought as she absent-mindedly tossed pebbles into the current, not paying attention as he walked over to her.

“Betts?” Jughead said as he got close to her. She turned around and came face to face with him, stepping out of the water before promptly bursting into tears. “Betts, it’s ok. I’m here, I’m here,” Jughead reassured her as he hugged her fiercely. She cried into his chest and held him tight, completely overcome with emotion. 

“I thought I’d lost you,” she says quietly once their sobs have subsided. Her voice almost gets carried away on the soft breeze but he manages to hold onto it just enough to get what she’s really saying. I thought you were going to leave me.

Jughead places a long kiss on the top of her head. “You’ll never lose me Betts.” Those five simple words hovered over both of them and caused Betty to cry once more, knowing that they had an expiration date that was fast approaching. 

“I love you Jug, but you can’t shut me out, no matter how painful it is,” Betty whispered, her throat dry and her voice hoarse.

“I know that, I do. But sometimes my mind likes to play tricks on me and it’s easier to shut everyone out than it is to let them in,” Jughead confessed ashamedly as he rested his chin on the top of her head.

“Trust me, I know all about that. You had a perfectly valid reason for freaking out this morning but for some reason my anxiety decided to twist it all around and make it seem like you were breaking up with me,” Betty said with a sigh, now realising how ridiculous it really was. Jughead shifted so his forehead leaned against hers. 

“This is true love, you think this happens every day?” Betty smiled brightly and leant forward slightly, pressing her lips against his. The kiss was soft, apologetic, instantly making up for a disastrous day. 

“I will never love again,” she replied happily, kissing him once more. They held onto each other for a moment longer, neither of them really wanting to leave. 

“Do you want me to take you home?” Jughead asked gently, his arms still wrapped around her. Betty shook her head.

“I want to stay here for a while longer,” she replied, pulling away from him and taking his hand. She walked back into the water, moving easily over the rocks with her bare feet. 

“How are you doing that?” He asked after a few shaky steps of his own after he’d slipped out of his own shoes.

“Doing what?” She asked obliviously, peeling off her clothes and throwing them back onto the dry rocks. Once she was in her bra and underwear she waded into the cool water, diving gracefully under the swirling currents and resurfacing with a laugh.

“How do you walk in bare feet like that? My feet are killing me,” Jughead exclaimed as he followed suit. “And how are you willingly swimming in the river? It’s still freezing,” he complained before diving under himself and resurfacing next to her. Betty laughed once more and floated on her back, looking up at the cloudless sky which seemed to stretch out endlessly.

“You forget that I’m from Wellington, this is practically boiling,” Betty replied calmly, closing her eyes. Jughead watched her for a moment, reveling in how peaceful she looked surrounded by nature. He quickly decided she’d had enough peace and splashed her, causing her to splutter as she tried to retaliate, him laughing as he swam away. Betty chased after him and caught up pretty quickly. Despite his height Jughead wasn’t exactly the most coordinated swimmer and Betty was swimming circles around him in no time. 

The stayed in the water until the sun started to set and their teeth started to chattered. Both of them took their time as they put their clothes on, their wet skin immediately soaking through the fabric, rendering it practically useless. They made their way into Jughead’s truck and sat in silence for a moment.

“Are you ok Juggie?” Betty asked softly, turning to face him. He was feeling amazing after their impromptu swim but he knew that wasn’t what she was talking about.

“I will be. Soon, I hope, because this is pretty crap,” Jughead confessed, taking her hand in his, causing her to send him a small smile. 

“What are you going to do about your dad?”

“I don’t know. I think I need to figure that out soon because knowing him, after my little freak out he’s probably gonna go off the rails.” Betty looked down at their hands, her fingers tracing his as she listened to him talk. “I’m sorry I ruined our weekend,” Jughead said quietly. Betty looked back up at him and kissed him gently.

“You didn’t ruin anything,” Betty reassured him. This time it was his turn to kiss her, slowly, teasingly, before pulling away and starting the engine. Betty leant into his shoulder and didn’t move the whole way home.

\--------------------

Jughead didn’t even bother asking because he knew what her answer would be. It had become another one of their little routines, Jughead walking Betty to her room, even though it was totally unnecessary it was now just something they did. They strolled into the apartment and straight into Betty’s bedroom. Jughead looked through her bookshelf for the millionth time while Betty went off in search of some towels. She returned moments later and tossed one at Jughead, keeping one for herself as she sifted through her drawers in search of her pyjamas.

They kept up some random small talk as she got change, Betty jumping into her bed as soon as she was done.

“Any suggestions?” Jughead asked her, still standing by her bookshelf.

“Surprise me,” she replied with a cheeky grin, knowing he hated choosing. He picked a book at random and then sat on the wooden chair beside her bed, all ready to start reading when she interrupted him.

“Juggie, you’re too far away,” she whined, patting the space next to her.

“But I’m all wet,” Jughead pointed out.

“I don’t care, get your butt over here,” Betty demanded, lifting the covers up for him. He rolled his eyes playfully before slipping in beside her, letting her find a comfortable position before reading the first line. 

She fell asleep halfway through the third chapter and Jughead carefully moved her onto her pillow, slipping a note into her book in lieu of a bookmark and then heading home. 

_When two people love each other, they come together - WHAM - like two taxis on Broadway._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!


	15. The Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! You probably don't remember me since it's been a while but I finally managed to write something and here it is. A huge thanks to the always lovely @allskynostars for beta-ing this and putting up with my constant stream of random messages. Don't forget to tell me what you think at the end :)

The last day of school finally came to a close, the four of them letting out a ragged breath as they walked through the school doors for the last time. Well, the last time for the next two weeks. They all clambered into Archie’s car in a silence which endured the short drive and followed them as they collapsed into their usual booth at Pop’s, all of them too exhausted to engage in conversation. They ordered their usuals and ate quietly, starting to talk once their milkshake glasses were empty and the only evidence of their food was the greasy paper lining the plastic baskets. 

“I swear that was the longest semester of my entire existence,” Veronica complained as she fell into Archie’s side, resting her head on his shoulder. He chuckled at her dramatics, draping his arm across her back and pulling her in closer.

“I second that. Finishing off with history was actual torture. Jug and I were counting down the seconds and I swear the clock stopped at one point,” Betty joked, Jughead nodding in agreement. 

“He somehow managed to talk for the whole hour without pausing but I have no idea what he was talking about,” Jughead admitted.

“Me either, but we have a test on it first day back so we need to study at some point,” Betty pointed out, all traces of a joke gone from her sparkling eyes.

“Relax B, it’s the holidays. Everyone knows you’re supposed to procrastinate until the weekend before school goes back anyway, so you’ve got plenty of time. Plus, there’s no way you weren’t paying attention in class. You probably already know the topic so calm down and enjoy your last holiday with us amazing people.” Veronica started to smile teasingly before she realised what she’d said, the weight of her words suddenly hanging overhead like a dark cloud. Archie and Veronica glanced briefly at Jughead and didn’t notice anything obviously wrong but Betty knew better. Jughead’s grip on her thigh had tightened slightly, his jaw clenched, his gaze stuck straight ahead. Betty placed her hand on top of his, tangling their fingers together and squeezing gently. He broke his stare and looked at her, a soft smile playing on his lips but his eyes were stormy, a sure sign that the thoughts floating around his mind were anything but pleasant. 

“That sounds like a great plan.” Betty smiled out at her friends across the booth, squeezing Jughead’s hand once more. Her smile grew bigger when she felt him squeeze back. “Speaking of the holidays, what are we actually gonna do?” They all looked at each other, waiting for someone to answer, before bursting into laughter when they realised they were all as clueless as each other. 

“That is a very good question Betty. I think we have to start off with a movie marathon though. Your house or ours?” Archie asked, turning his attention to Veronica.

“Ours. Mum’s out again and Daddy’s currently on a flight to Tokyo so we’ll have the place to ourselves,” Ronnie replied with a twinkle in her eyes. Archie pulled out his phone and texted his dad to let him know they were staying at Ronnie’s overnight. Fred replied quickly, knowing that if he said no the boys would just sneak out anyway. The four friends tumbled out of the booth and back into Archie’s car, all of them a lot more energetic than they had been on the drive over.

\--------------------

Their movie marathon quickly turned into a board game tournament after they’d spent half an hour scrolling through Netflix only to come up empty handed. Veronica found a cupboard filled with old board games and they’d each picked one; Snakes and Ladders, Ludo, Battleships, and Cluedo. Veronica had (only just) won Snakes and Ladders and after a very intense round of boys vs. girls Battleships, the four were onto Cluedo. Jughead, Archie, and Veronica quickly figured out why Betty had picked it. She was good, really good. Her poker face was unreadable and she refused to give anything away, knowing exactly how to use the rules to her advantage.

Betty had just rolled a double six, again, when her phone buzzed from her pocket. She pulled it open and unlocked it without paying attention, still laughing at Archie’s reaction to her roll when Alice’s face filled the screen.

“Hello Elizabeth.” Alice’s cool tone cut through Betty’s laughter like a knife, stopping her short as she looked down in surprise.

“Mum, I wasn’t expecting you to call. Is everything alright?” Betty tried to sound polite but she was silently cursing herself for answering the call. 

“Everything is fine Elizabeth. I had some free time and I was thinking we could talk now as well as with your father tomorrow.”

“Oh, alright. I’m kind of busy at the moment so it’s better for me to talk to you tomorrow,” Betty said, trying to get rid of her mother as fast as possible. Jughead and Veronica had both seen varying degrees of how controlling her mother could be but Archie hadn’t yet, and Betty was planning on keeping it that way.

“What are you doing, Elizabeth? I can’t imagine what would be more important than talking to you mother who’s on the other side of the world.” The guilt card. Alice didn’t play it often but when she did, she played it well. Betty stayed silent as Alice continued. “That’s what I thought. So, what are you doing?”

“I’m at home with Veronica, Juggi-, Jughead, and Archie.” Betty turned the camera around and her three friends waved awkwardly, not really sure what to do. “We were just playing Cluedo.” 

“Oh.” Betty could hear the disdain in her mother’s tone and wanted to crawl under a blanket and hide there for an eternity. “I see you’re still hanging out with that Jug Head boy. I get a strange feeling about him and I don’t appreciate you spending time with him.” If looks could kill, Alice would’ve been dead as soon as she uttered his name. 

“Listen Mum, I have something to tell you, and knowing you, you might want to sit down.” Betty’s tone was channeling her mother’s as she moved over to sit next to Jughead. “Jughead isn’t just a friend, he’s actually my boyfriend. We’ve been going out for a while and nothing you say or do is going to change that.” Alice looked shocked and Jughead was half worried she was going to faint. She opened her mouth to retaliate but Betty quickly cut her off.

“I strongly advise you to think about the next words that come out of your mouth, Mum, because I am this close to hanging up.” Jughead draped his arm across her shoulder and pulled Betty into his side, placing a kiss to her forehead. He was so proud of Betty for standing up to her mother that he couldn’t help himself, even if Alice was right there and able to see the whole thing.

“Elizabeth Jane Cooper, how dare you speak to me like this. You are becoming more and more like Polly every day and I won’t have a bar of it. I am going to have a talk to your father about this as soon as he gets home and I can assure you, he will not be happy with your behaviour.” Alice sounded trill and furious, a strange combination that somehow made her even more intimidating to Jughead, but Betty wasn’t backing down.

“Oh go ahead Mum. What’s he gonna do about it? It’s a bit hard to punish me from the other side of the world isn’t it? And thank you for saying that I’m becoming more and more like Polly because she’s a better person than you will ever be,” Betty yelled at her phone, quickly hanging up before Alice could get another word in. She took a deep breath and leant further into Jughead’s side. The room was absolutely silent as Betty reached forward to take her turn, counting out the squares and making her way into the pool room. 

“Scarlet, candlestick, observatory,” Betty said calmly, a complete contrast to her tone seconds ago. Archie handed her the small yellow envelope and she threw the cards on the board without even looking at them first. 

Scarlet. Candlestick. Observatory.

\--------------------

Later that night, Betty climbed into her bed and lay her head against Jughead’s chest, curling into him. His fingers came up to run through her hair and she shifted slightly to look up at him.

“Both times I’ve talked to your mum have ended with you defending Polly and then hanging up,” Jughead said with a chuckle. Betty smiled up at him sheepishly.

“You probably think I’m crazy with a mother like that.” She tried to play it off as a joke but Jughead could hear the anxiety in her voice, creeping in and convincing her of impossible things. She shifted once more so she was lying across him, her head still resting on his chest as she stared up at the ceiling.

“Babe, we’re not our parents,” Jughead reassured her, repeating her words from what felt like a lifetime ago. “You know me better than to think I’d judge you for your mum. My dad is way worse and you’re still here so I’d have no excuse.” Betty chuckled halfheartedly in response and Jughead noticed the tears rolling down the side of her face. He moved his fingers from her hair and ran them over her cheek. 

“What is it really?” Jughead didn’t sound rude or even slightly curious. Betty could hear how worried he was but she refused to look at him, not wanting him to see her cry even though he had many times before.

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it,” Betty said unconvincingly, quiet sobs escaping her lips.

“Betts, come on. Please tell me what’s going on.” She finally gave in and curled up into a ball on his chest, hiding her face behind her knees. 

“What if I’ve screwed things up? What if she hates me? I know that she has a strange way of showing it but she just wants the best for me and I didn’t mean to hurt her. I just sort of … snapped. It was like every snide remark and undermining comment hit me all at once and I couldn’t help myself,” Betty confessed quietly, sobs distorting her words. 

“You are so strong and I am so proud of you for standing up to her. I know it doesn’t feel like it but you did the right thing. She’ll come around eventually and if she doesn’t, well, at least you can easily avoid her for another couple of months,” Jughead suggested light-heartedly, wrapping his arm around her small frame and pulling her impossibly closer. A small watery laugh filled the dark room and Jughead could feel tears threatening to spill out of his own eyes. 

Not only was it killing him to see Betty like this but the constant reminder of the ticking clock on their relationship was starting to get to him. Most of the time he could ignore that little voice in the back of his head that was constantly taunting him, telling him they were bound to crash and burn, becoming a mess of flames before her plane even left the tarmac. Most of the time he could let it fade into the background but lately it had been getting louder and louder, a constant attack on the walls he had built around it and he wasn’t sure how much more he could take.

“How do you always know just what to say?” She was still curled up inside his arms but her voice sounded slightly stronger, the watery quality it had possessed moments ago suddenly disappearing. 

“You just make it so easy,” he mumbled into her hair, still fighting to control his emotions. He felt her relax and after several still minutes he assumed she’d fallen asleep. He felt himself start to drift off when her timid voice cut through the silence.

“What are you going to do about your dad?” All of a sudden he was wide awake, his fingers instinctively moving back through her hair even though she wasn’t the one that needed comforting. 

“I don’t know,” he answered truthfully, suddenly thankful for the cover of darkness as the tears he’d been trying so hard to fight came crashing down. Since the incident with his dad the weekend before he’d been trying not to think about it, trying to keep busy so he could ignore the dark corners of his mind that were starting to encroach on the light.

“I don’t know what there is to do.” His voice was the softest whisper but he knew that Betty could hear him. Her thumb started drawing mindless patterns on his chest and the steady pace of her breathing was keeping him grounded, stopping him from getting sucked into his thoughts. 

“I think you need to talk to Fred,” Betty said quietly. Jughead sighed, trying to calm himself down and stop the river of thoughts that managed to slip through his careful defenses.

“I know,” he said as he held her tighter, his fingers still running through her hair. He took a deep breath before continuing, surprised his tears weren’t evident in his voice. “I know but I’m scared. What if I tell him what happens and he tells me to go with my dad? I can’t, I can’t face another person leaving me Betts.” 

Betty’s heart dropped. How could she do that to him? How could she leave him? She managed to stop herself from spiraling, telling herself that this was about Jughead and not a good time for her to have another attack. She reached into her hair and placed her hand on top of his, pulling it down to her lips and kissing him gently.

“You know Fred’s not going to do that. He loves you as if you were his own son. Sometimes I think he even likes you more than Archie.” Jughead let out a watery laugh, allowing himself to relax slightly. 

“You have no reason to be scared Jug, everything will turn out exactly as it should.” As soon as she said it, Betty wasn’t sure if her words were for her or for Jughead. He leant forward slightly and kissed her forehead, relishing in the way she chased his lips once they left her skin.

“I love you and I’ll always be there for you,” Betty said softly, a small smile on her face as she recited the words that were written in Jughead’s messy handwriting and taped over her bed. 

“Hey, get your own lovingly encouraging words,” Jughead teased, pulling her hand up to his lips. 

“But yours work so much better,” Betty whined playfully, curling tighter into his chest.

“Fine, but only this once,” Jughead conceded, dropping a kiss to the top of her head as they fell into a content silence. Both of them fell asleep with small smiles on their faces and an uncharacteristic calmness in their thoughts.

\--------------------

“Betts. Betts, wake up. We need to get going,” Jughead whispered to his sleeping girlfriend, placing a hand on her shoulder and shaking her gently. Betty reached a hand up and placed it on his, her eyes still closed as she continued sleeping.

“Betty come on. We need to leave soon.”

“What’s going on Jug,” she asked drowsily, her voice hoarse from the few hours of sleep she’d had. “What time is it?”

“Um, I don’t know,” Jughead fibbed, quickly changing the subject. “But get up because there’s something I want to show you.” Betty begrudgingly pushed back the duvet, crawling out of her blanket cocoon and pulling on the first things she could find from the pile of clothes on her chair.

“This had better be good,” she muttered as she walked over to him, finally managing to get her head through the right hole of her shirt.

“I promise it’ll be worth it. I know how much you hate getting woken up,” Jughead said with a chuckle as he reached for Betty’s hand and lead her out of the apartment.

The couple made their way to the Andrews’ house, Jughead practically carrying Betty as she tried to avoid falling back to sleep. The streets were empty so they arrived mere minutes later. Jughead helped Betty into Fred’s truck as soon as they arrived, shutting the door quietly so as not to startle her. He unlocked the front door and slipped into the house, heading towards the stairs until a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

“You know you don’t have to sneak in. Archie told me you guys were going to be out for the night,” Fred called out from the couch as he gulped the dregs of his coffee, amusement evident in his tone.

“Oh, hi Fred. I didn’t see you there. Um, yeah, I’m taking Betty somewhere and I need to grab my camera,” Jughead mumbled, slightly flustered at getting caught despite having done nothing wrong.

“I’m just teasing, Jughead. Where are you two going at four in the morning?” Fred inquired, setting his empty coffee mug on the floor beside him.

“We’re gonna go watch the sunrise but I have somewhere specific in mind.” 

“Alright then. Stay safe, and I need the truck tonight so don’t be back too late.”

“Ok, thanks Fred,” Jughead called out as he clambered up the stairs. His thoughts wandered to Betty as he searched for his camera, her words from the night before came back to him. He found his camera balancing on some of Archie’s unopened textbooks and quickly made his way back down the stairs. Fred was still sitting on the couch, Vegas having joined him while Jughead was upstairs. 

“See you later Jug,” Fred said, his attention still trained on Vegas.

“Will do. There’s something I need to talk to you about but we can do it later. I’ll see you tonight.”

“That sounds ominous. Drive safe.” Jughead waved in response as he headed out the door. Betty was asleep against the passenger door and he chuckled to himself at the sight. He knew she hated missing out on sleep but he really hoped his surprise would be worth it. He walked around the truck and climbed in behind the steering wheel, reaching over to do up Betty’s seatbelt before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. She smiled lazily in her sleep, leaning over onto his shoulder as he carefully did up his own seatbelt and pulled out onto the empty road.

\--------------------

Betty woke up an hour later, her head jolting upright as Jughead failed to avoid a pothole in the road.

“Sorry about that, I thought it was smaller,” Jughead apologised, taking his eyes off the road for a few seconds to look at her. She blinked slowly at him, a bewildered look clouding her expression. 

“Where are we?” Betty asked, looking away from him to stare out the window. Everything was still dark but there was a soft blue light slowly creeping out from behind the hills.

“Nowhere important but we’ll be arriving in a few minutes,” Jughead said mysteriously, a goofy smile on his face as he pictured her reaction when he finally uncovered his surprise. Betty let it go, knowing he wouldn’t give anything away.

True to his word, Jughead pulled just off the road a few moments later, cutting the engine and looking at her expectantly. 

“We’re here.” Betty could hear the excitement in his tone but she wasn’t quite sure what why. Jughead hopped out of the truck and Betty followed him, standing next to him on the side of the road.

“And where exactly is here Juggie?” Jughead dropped a quick kiss to her lips, unable to stop smiling, before grabbing his camera and a blanket out of the truck. 

“You’ll see in a minute Betts.” Betty couldn’t make out his expression through the darkness but she could hear the happiness in his voice, bringing a smile to her own face. He lay the blanket down on a small grassy bank beside the truck, reaching for Betty and sitting her down beside him. They sat in silence, watching the blue light turn pink, then orange as it crept further into the darkness. 

Then Betty saw it.

“Oh my God, Jug this is amazing!” Betty quickly kissed his cheek before jumping up from the blanket and wandering into the meadow that was now visible under the soft light of the vivid sunrise. Orange flowers littered the grass, stretching out to the foot of the hills. She wandered around with childlike curiosity, a huge smile lighting up her face. The sound of her laughter filled the quiet morning and Jughead reached for his camera, turning it on and snapping some photos, Betty too caught up in her own delight to notice the tell tale clicking sound. 

“Jug can you put some music on?” She called out as she crouched down to pick a flower. Betty brushed her wild hair behind her ear, gently placing the flower on top. Jughead stood up and grabbed Betty’s phone off the passenger seat, plugging it into the speaker and putting her music on shuffle.

Betty started swaying to the music, her arms swirling around her as she turned around to look at the sky, the sun now starting to peek out over the grassy hills. Jughead walked up slowly behind her, his camera clicking over and over again. He let it hang around his neck once he got closer to her, wrapping his arms around Betty’s waist, picking her up and spinning her around. A playful squeal escaped her lips and mixed with his laughter, both of them forgetting about the music and the flowers and the sky, their eyes only on each other.

Jughead eventually set her down in front of him, careful not to trample any of the flowers. He kept his arms around her waist and Betty laced her fingers behind his neck, resting her head on his chest as she swayed to the music once again. Jughead dropped a kiss to the top of her head, pulling her impossibly closer.

“I love you Jug,” Betty said quietly as she let her eyes flutter closed. Here she was in the most beautiful place she’d ever seen, somewhere that looked straight out of a dream, and all she could think about was him. The feeling of his hands around her waist, the steady beating of his heart against her cheek, the way his hair tickled her forehead when he leant down to whisper in her ear.

“I love you.” Everything felt perfect, and Betty knew it would feel the same if they were standing in a meadow of flowers or at a public swimming pool. Just being in his arms was enough to make her feel safe, enough to make her feel at home. Jughead’s voice broke her out of her reverie moments later.

“Especially in that shirt,” he said with a smirk. Betty pulled away slightly to look down at what she was wearing. A large ‘S’ was covering her front, telling her that she was in one of Jughead’s shirts. 

“Sorry! You left it the other day and I meant to give it to you but I wanted to wash it first and then I must ha-” Jughead’s lips crashed onto hers, stealing her breath and her train of thought in one fell swoop. It was over as soon as it began and Betty couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed when he returned to his full height.

“Keep it. It looks better on you anyway,” Jughead reassured her. Betty leant up and kissed his jaw, not able to reach any higher. 

“Thanks Jug, I’ll take good care of it,” she reassured him with a goofy smile. She held onto him for a moment longer, savouring the moment before speaking up again.

“I know you bought your camera so you probably want to get some photos before the sun finishes rising,” Betty suggested quietly, not really want him to let go. She leant up and kissed him once more, letting her lips linger for a moment longer than usual before pulling away. He slowly untangled her from his arms and reached down to his side for his camera. She stayed close by, following him mindlessly as he moved around the meadow, taking shots from various angles. 

Betty crouched down and let her fingers dance along the soft orange petals, letting her mind wander to another universe where things could stay like this forever. The two of them wandering aimlessly and discovering beautiful places from the comfort of each other’s arms. Jughead turned around and looked in Betty’s direction, noticing the wistful look on her face. He walked over and sat down on a patch of grass beside her, picking a flower and aimlessly twirling it between his fingers.

“You ok babe?” Betty sighed softly and shifted her attention from the flowers, looking at Jughead and taking note of his worried expression.

“Yeah, I’m ok. Just a bit tired, that’s all,” Betty said with a soft smile, not wanting to bother him with her silly fantasies.

“If you say so. Sorry for waking you up so early,” Jughead replied, returning her smile. Betty could tell that he didn’t believe her but was grateful that he wasn’t pushing it. She’d already freaked out enough about her leaving, she wasn’t about to do it again and ruin this perfect morning he’d given her. She moved over slightly so she was sitting in front of him, reaching up and cupping his face.

“You have absolutely no reason to apologise Juggie. This was the most incredible surprise and I am so, so happy to be here with you, even if it does mean that I lost a few hours of sleep. Thank you Jug, really.” She waited a moment, letting her words sink in, before leaning forward and kissing the small smile right off his face. He reached his hands up and let them run through her tangled hair, knocking off the flower that had been balancing behind her ear. Betty shuffled forward and straddled his lap, their lips never parting as Jughead deepened the kiss, pulling her flush against him. Her hands were wandering everywhere; through his hair, down his back, along his arms before finally settling on his smooth stomach and resting under the hem of his shirt.

“Betts, you’re killing me,” Jughead mumbled against her mouth, moving his lips away from her skin for mere seconds before starting a trail across her jaw and down her neck, setting her on fire. Her hands started wandering again, moving slowly towards his chest and taking his shirt with her. Jughead was moments away from pulling it over his head when Betty pulled away slightly, resting her forehead against his to keep herself upright.

“I … we need to stop,” Betty said breathlessly, her chest rising and falling in time with his. Jughead nodded slightly, his cheeks suddenly flushing red.

“Mhmm just … just give me a minute.” Betty giggled as she climbed off his lap, grabbing his camera and bouncing away. She turned around and pointed it at him, capturing Jughead sitting amongst the flowers, staring inently at something straight ahead. Jughead heard the click of the lens and snapped out of his gaze, turning around to see Betty pointing the camera at him. 

“Hey!” He yelled out, a fake harshness in his tone as he stood up and started walking towards her. Betty giggled again and started running backwards away from him, keeping the camera trained on him and snapping photos as he chased her through the meadow. He finally caught her as they reached the truck, both of them doubling over with laughter. Jughead kissed her softly once they’d both caught their breath, stealing the camera from around her neck and grabbing the blanket they’d abandoned on the grass. 

Betty was already ready to go by the time he’d taken some final photos of the meadow, the sun now sitting on top of the hills. She was fiddling with her music, trying to find a good song. As soon as Jughead had hopped in the car and started the engine, Betty wound down her window and turned up the stereo. She put her arm out of the open window and let the wind have it's way with it as it whipped her hair around her face, her singing out loudly for whoever happened to be listening. 

Jughead found himself feeling strangely content, a feeling he couldn’t remember having very often before he’d met Betty. He knew in that moment that he would do whatever it took to keep her, to stay with her, to be a part of her life, no matter how small.

“What are you smiling at?” Betty asked, reaching her other arm over and resting it across his shoulders, fiddling with the curly hair at the nape of his neck as she looked at him curiously.

“You,” he stated simply, his smile growing as he looked over at her. She leant across the console and kissed his cheek.

“Good, because if it was Archie I would have some questions.”

\--------------------

After a morning at Pop’s filled with milkshakes and fries, and an afternoon filled with, well, _other_ things, Jughead pulled up in front of the Andrews’ house. He sat in the car for a few moments longer than would have been deemed necessary, trying not to psych himself out.

“Just, think of what Betty said, ok? Everything will turn out exactly as it should,” Jughead mumbled to himself under his breath, letting go of his tight grip on the steering wheel and climbing out of the truck. He dragged his feet up the few wooden steps, opening the front door and heading straight for the kitchen, suddenly becoming very thirsty. Of course, with Jughead’s luck, Fred was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and drinking tea. 

“Hey Fred, I put the keys to the truck by the door,” Jughead said as he walked into the room. Half of him hoped that Fred had forgotten that small detail of their talk that morning and the other part of him just wanted to get the conversation over and done with.

“Thanks Jug. How was your day?” Fred asked, handing Jughead a glass of water he must have grabbed while Jughead was lost in thought.

“It was great, yeah, it was … great.” Jughead meant to take a sip of his water but ended up drinking the whole thing in one gulp. Why was he so nervous? This was just a simple conversation with Fred. He could manage that, right?

“Since when do you say great?” Fred wondered aloud with a chuckle, setting his empty glass in the sink. “Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about this morning?”

“Oh, um, yeah. So, Archie probably already told you but, um, well my dad asked me to move back in with him,” Jughead finally managed to stutter out. Judging by Fred’s unchanged expression, Jughead figured he already knew. Betty’s words we're bouncing around his scattered thoughts, giving him the clarity he needed.

“I told him I didn’t want to. I told him I didn’t want to give up the good thing I have going here for the maybe I’ll be getting if I leave.” Jughead fixed his eyes on his glass, not sure if he could look at Fred when he got rejected from another person’s life, another home. 

“Ok,” Fred stated, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

“Wait, what?” Jughead finally looked up from his glass with a puzzled look on his face, Fred’s caring expression not quite calculating.

“Ok,” he repeated with a slight chuckle.

“But, but what do you mean ‘ok’?” Jughead was still bewildered, Fred’s repetition of the word not exactly clarifying things.

“I mean ‘ok’. It’s fine Jughead. If you want to stay, I completely understand and Archie and I are more than happy for you to keep living here. If you want to go with your dad and your family, I understand that too. It’s up to you but I will fully support you in whatever you choose.”

“Thanks Fred that, that means a lot to me.” Jughead’s voice was small and soft as he tried to figure out what just happened. He was accepted and truly wanted by someone and a small part of him was shocked into disbelief. Who would’ve thought that he, Jughead Jones, would be loved and appreciated and have people to call family, a place to call home?

“Anytime Jug. I know it wasn’t easy for you to talk to me about this but I really appreciate you telling me what’s happening in your life. I’m always here for you, if you need me.” Fred reached an arm out and clapped Jughead on the shoulder, a rare sign of affection between the two. Jughead sent him a grateful smile before walking out of the room, the dark corners of his mind no longer seeming quite so intimidating.

He made his way upstairs and collapsed onto his bed, his mind racing at a million miles an hour as he finally processed what had just happened. He reached for his camera bag with a content smile on his face. As he pulled his camera out, a napkin floated onto his chest. He picked it up out of curiosity and found Betty’s bubbly handwriting carefully written on the flimsy tissue, little flowers doodled around the edges.

_Your arms always make me feel like home; your chin resting on my hair, your heart beating through your chest, your arms wrapped around me. Your name is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of home and I wouldn’t have it any other way._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!


	16. The Beach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so so sorry for the super long wait between chapters. I have no real excuse but I'm sure I could come up with some anyway. Thanks again to my awesome beta @allskynostars for reading over this and also to @wonderrful for putting up with my constant messaging while I was writing this. Let me know what you think!

“Betty wake up!” Veronica’s shrill voice cut through Betty’s dream. She could feel her room flood with light so she groaned and rolled over, shuffling further under her blankets and willing sleep to return quickly.

“B come on! You’re going to love this. I promise,” Veronica said as she pulled Betty’s blankets back. Betty reluctantly opened her eyes, blinking a few times and stretching out across the whole bed. 

“Why do everyone's surprises involve waking me up early? At this rate letting me sleep would be a surprise,” Betty mumbled bitterly as she slowly sat up and walked over to her wardrobe. “What do I need to wear?” She grumbled, making sure Veronica was aware of how much she’d inconvenienced her.

“This,” Veronica exclaimed as she chucked a small bag at Betty who caught it with ease despite her sleepy state. “Now go get changed, Archie’s driving and he said he’d pick us up soon.” Betty shuffled off to the bathroom, mumbling incoherently under her breath. 

“Hey V,” she called out once she’d closed the bathroom door. “Where’s the rest of it?” Veronica laughed and moved over to lean against the door frame.

“That’s it B. Just, trust me ok? You're going to looking incredible.”

“But this is a bikini.”

“And…”

“I don’t wear bikinis,” Betty said stubbornly as if her statement was an explanation in itself.

“No time like the present,” Veronica quipped happily, a sly smile on her face.

“Bu-”

“Betty just put on the bikini and hurry up. Jug’s seen you in a lot less than that, in fact he’s seen you without that so I really don’t understand the problem.” Betty went silent and Veronica knew she’d won, her sly smile growing into a satisfied grin.

“Fine but you owe me,” Betty conceded, stripping off her pyjamas and pulling on the flimsy pieces of fabric.

“I think you’ll be the one that owes me by the end of this B,” Veronica fired back with a smirk, walking out of the bedroom with a laugh and going to wait in the living room.

\--------------------

Betty fell asleep on Jughead’s shoulder in the car, completely oblivious to the small towns they were speeding through or the curious looks Veronica kept sending the pair. A couple of hours later, the houses opened up to reveal a never ending ocean, the blue stretching out to tickle the horizon. Jughead ran his fingers through Betty’s hair, brushing it out of her face. Her eyes opened at his touch, a lazy smile crossing his face as she sleepily blinked awake. 

“Look out the window,” Jughead whispered in her ear. She shuffled her head off his shoulder to look through the glass, her brain taking a second to realise what she was seeing. Betty let out a content sigh at the sight, leaning back into Jughead but never taking her eyes off the water.

“I missed this,” Betty confessed loud enough for everyone to hear. Ronnie looked up from her magazine and Archie stopped drumming his fingers on the wheel, almost as if they were only just noticing where they were. A pensive silence fell over the car as they all revelled in their surroundings. 

Archie turned off the main road a few minutes later and parked on the side of an old gravel track, a line of trees standing between them and the beach. They all bowled out of the car and grabbed their things. Laughter filled the salty air as they raced towards the sand, Veronica carefully tiptoeing her way through the foliage the other three had bashed through moments before. The beach was empty of people, their only companions were the crabs which scurried away from them and the empty shells which littered the ground. 

The boys quickly stripped off their shirts, pushing and shoving each other as they made their way to the water, Betty not far behind. Archie and Jughead froze as soon as their toes got wet, both of them deciding it was too cold and standing awkwardly on the damp sand as the water swirled around their feet. Betty kept on running, her laughter hanging in the air as she ducked under the waves, resurfacing with an expression on her face that Jughead could only describe complete and utter happiness.

“How the hell is she doing that?” Archie exclaimed, refusing to move from his spot in the shallows. 

“I’m pretty sure she’s half fish,” Jughead answered as he slowly waded out towards her, stopping every so often to get used to the cold. Betty got sick of waiting and dove under the waves, reappearing right in front of Jughead and pulling him under before he got the chance to register her presence. He came up spluttering and splashing, his arms flailing as he tried to get rid of a mouthful of water. 

“What was that for?” He asked while trying to scrape the salty taste out of his mouth. Betty giggled and swam around in front of him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she treaded water.

“Calling me a fish,” she said pointedly, her eyes stern but her cheerful smile giving her away.

“Cutest fish I’ve ever seen,” Jughead said sweetly, leaning forward and pressing their lips together, his hands resting on her hips under the water as he pulled her against him. She pulled back slightly, her lips still ghosting his but not quite touching. 

“That might just be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Betty teased. Jughead could feel her smirk against his lips so he leaned forward slightly, connecting them once again.

“Now we both know that’s not true Betts,” Jughead whispered inside the kiss, feeling the heat in Betty’s cheeks as her blush came to the surface. She kissed him harder, the space between them non-existent. Archie and Veronica were the last thing on their mind as they both craved more, two bodies melting into one as the water moved around them.

“You are looking way too hot right now,” Jughead whispered against her ear, his lips following the shell of it before moving down to her neck, softly, slowly. Betty hummed in approval as she pulled him impossibly closer. She couldn’t help herself and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling them further under the water. Jughead somehow managed to drag them backwards, taking them closer to the shore but stopping as soon as his feet touched the ground, his lips never leaving her skin. 

“Jug,” Betty mumbled into his ear. “Jug, we need to stop.” He chuckled as he pulled back slightly, Betty still able to feel his lips ghosting her collar bone. 

“Probably a good idea, we both know where that was going,” he breathed out, the feeling of his words against her skin making her shiver. Betty reluctantly unwrapped herself from him, the fire still in her eyes as she slowly swam away from him, never breaking eye contact. She stopped after a few moments and floated on her back, her eyes open wide as though she was searching for answers in the clouds that were scattered across the sky above her.

Jughead watched her for a few moments, revelling in the peaceful feeling she seemed to be experiencing. He waded out to join her, floating on his back beside her once he got close enough. 

Neither of them knew how long they stayed like that, floating next to each other and soaking up that weightless feeling they both knew was incredibly limited. The clouds sailed over them, ever changing as the wind carried them through the sky. Archie yelling from the beach was the only thing to break their seemingly endless moment, the sound of his voice dragging them out of their thoughts and sucking them back into the real world.

“Guys! Come here!” He called out. Betty and Jughead looked at each other, rolling their eyes before swimming back to the shore.

“Ron won’t come in the water,” Archie whined once they got within earshot.

“You called us all the way back here for that?” Jughead asked, his voice dripping with disapproval. 

“Well she won’t listen to me and she can’t come all the way out to the beach and then not even get in the water.”

“Arch you do realise that you haven’t been in the water,” Betty pointed out with a cheeky smile, unable to take the ridiculous situation seriously.

“But that’s different. I’m _going_ to go in the water, I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Ron is just downright refusing,” Archie stated as though it was perfectly logical reasoning.

“I went to the salon yesterday and I am not spending all of Daddy’s money on my nails and hair for it to be ruined by the dirty salt bath you guys seem to love,” Ronnie said from her beach chair, not even looking up from her magazine.

“You know what you have to do Arch,” Jughead said to the redhead with a sly grin. Archie took a minute but eventually caught on, a gleeful look on his face.

“Babe you’re absolutely sure you won’t come in the water with me?” Archie double checked as he approached her slowly.

“One hundred percent. Nothing you can say will make me change my mind,” Veronica replied firmly, finally putting down her magazine to stare down her boyfriend. 

“If you’re sure then…” Archie scooped her up into his arms before any of them could blink, carrying her away from the beach chair and running towards the water.

“Archie Andrews, put me down right now!” Veronica demanded, her screams barely heard over the laughter of her three friends. 

“Oh, right now?” Archie asked cheekily as he slowed down to a stop at the edge of the water.

“Archie…” she warned, her voice stern. He looked sheepish as he started to set her down. When Veronica moved to stand up, Archie lowered her down onto the wet sand just as a wave came crashing down, splashing all four of them and soaking Veronica. She squealed as the others continued laughing, splashing past her and diving under the water, trying to put as much distance between themselves and Veronica who had managed to get back on her feet and wasn’t looking happy about it. The rest of the morning was spent splashing and laughing, swimming and screaming as they made the most of their isolation.

\--------------------

The afternoon rolled around and with it came the grumbling of Jughead’s stomach. The four friends eventually pulled themselves out of the water, the sun having finally warmed it up so it was actually pleasant to swim in. Once they got back to the beach, Veronica revealed a picnic basket which Smithers had packed them, filled to the brim with sandwiches and snacks. They lay their towels out together, creating a picnic blanket of sorts, before helping themselves to the food. 

It was devoured within a matter of minutes, all of them starving after their playful morning. Once they were done they lay back on their towels, staring up through the trees. 

“You know what we should do?” Betty’s voice broke the silence, spilling out over the steady beat of the crashing waves. “Build sandcastles,” she stated simply, completely sure of herself. None of the others replied so Betty made a move to sit up, Jughead’s hand suddenly on her shoulder as he pulled her down beside him, trapping her in his arms. 

“Great idea Betts,” Jughead said, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. “Let’s just … stay like this for a little bit longer.” Betty nodded slightly and rested her head on his chest, her breath syncing with his as they lay together. 

After an eternity, Archie stood up and dragged Veronica onto his feet beside him. “Okay, so I’m thinking you two versus us two,” Archie suggested as he stood over them, blocking out the sun. Jughead unwillingly released Betty from his arms, both of them standing up to face their friends. 

“You’re on.” Jughead agreed starting to pull Betty away from the other duo so they could begin building their sandcastle.

“How long do we have?” Archie asked, a competitive edge to his words which almost made Betty laugh. Only Archie would turn sandcastle building into a competition.

“Half an hour. And loser has to go get dinner,” Jughead called out over his shoulder as him and Betty walked away from their friends, making sure they were out of earshot before turning to Betty.

“I have an idea…”

\--------------------

Half an hour later, Archie’s phone alarm rang out loudly across the beach. Betty made her way over to Archie and Veronica, Jughead nowhere to be seen.

“Hey B, I think you're forgetting something, or someone,” Veronica said as she tried to brush sand of her hands. 

“Maybe, maybe not,” Betty teased. “Come on, you guys can look at our sandcastle first,’ Betty suggested, already skipping away from them. Veronica and Archie exchanged a confused look before following her along the sand, stopping just behind Betty when they got to the other end of the beach. 

“Ta-da!” Betty exclaimed, pointing down at the sand. Veronica and Archie burst into laughter, unable to contain themselves. Jughead was lying the sand, a sand bra covering his chest and his legs were hidden under a tail decorate with shells. Betty had drawn in the sand around his head so it looked like his long hair was spread out around him.

“We decided to go with a less traditional look and so I turned Jughead into a mermaid instead,” Betty explained with a grin, oddly proud of her creation. Jughead fluttered his eyelashes for a few moments, waiting until Veronica and Archie had finished laughing before turning his head ever so slightly to look at Betty.

“Does this mean I can move now?” Jughead pleaded, trying to sound desperate but Betty could tell he didn’t hate that much. She nodded and reached for his hand, pulling him from his sandy prison. He pulled her into a tight hug, covering her in the wet sand he had just been buried under. 

“Juggie!” Betty squealed, trying to squirm away from him which only lead to Jughead holding her tighter. He eventually pulled away, leaving most of her front covered in sand. Jughead started laughing before seeing the look on her face, the playful anger in her eyes, and took off down the beach, running towards the water and quickly diving under the waves.

In his attempt to get away from his now sandy girlfriend, Jughead forgot his earlier comment; she was half fish. She caught up to him seconds later, climbing onto his back and pulling him under the water. As soon as she let him come up for air he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, spinning her around as water flew in every direction. 

They ended up falling back into the waves, a mess of laughter and limbs as they tried to keep each other afloat, both of them ignoring the shallow ground in favour of clinging to one another. 

“You suck,” Betty managed to get out between laughs, her tone opposing her words and ridding them of all meaning. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his slid behind her back and under her knees. 

“Yeah but you love me anyway,” he said with a soft smile on his face, leaning forward to rest his forehead against hers. 

“Meh, you’re okay,” she said quietly, returning his smile. She leant forward and kissed him gently, pulling away too soon as she made her way back to the shore where Veronica and Archie were pretending not to watch them. 

“Do we get to see your sandcastle now?” Betty asked excitedly as she tried to wring some of the salt water out of her hair.

“We’ll just say that you guys won. I’m pretty sure ours collapsed in the time it took us to walk over here so it’s probably best that we don’t dwell on the ruins,” Archie said with a chuckle, slinging his arm over Ronnie’s shoulder and hugging her into his side. 

“This is the one and only time I will admit defeat though B. If you mention this to anyone you will certainly not be better for it,” Ronnie teased, waggling her finger in her attempt to be threatening. “But yes, this does mean we’ll go and pick up dinner later. What are we gonna do until then?” Veronica looked up to Archie in question, almost as though he might have an idea, but was met with only a shrug. 

“Didn’t Smithers pack ice cream?” Jughead called out as he made his way out of the water. “I feel like ice cream.”

“Juggie we ate an hour ago. How are you still hungry?” Veronica asked once he got close enough to hear her. Betty heard him chuckle as he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on top of her head.

“I’m a growing boy, what can I say,” he quipped, a lazy smile crossing his face. “So … what about that ice cream?”

“Yeah yeah calm down. I think he put a chilly bin in but I’m not sure. Archiekins, any chance you could go and check?” Veronica asked sweetly, her voice dripping like honey. He grumbled incoherently as he made his way back along the beach before disappearing behind the treeline, reappearing minutes later with a red chilly bin. The other three had made their way along behind him and sat back down on their towels, Jughead and Betty drying off a bit while they waited.

“Either Smithers is a wizard or there’s something else going on but somehow these aren’t melted yet despite having sat in the car all day,” Archie stated bewilderedly as he set the chilly bin down in between them all, opening the lid and helping himself to an ice cream. Sure enough, Archie was right. They all opened their ice creams and found them perfectly intact despite the warm weather and even warmer car.

“I vote for wizard,” Jughead joked as he took a bite. Betty nodded her head in agreement as she took a bite of her own, successfully smearing ice cream over the tip of her nose. Jughead chuckled at the sight before leaning over and kissing it off, licking his lips once it was gone.

“Mhmm, Betty flavoured ice cream, my favourite,” Jughead said smugly. Betty blushed and leaned into his side, kissing his bare shoulder before taking another bite of her ice cream, this time managing to get it all in her mouth much to Jughead’s disappointment. 

“How are you guys still in the honeymoon period after what, 10 months? Archie and I have been together forever and I think that phase lasted about two weeks,” Veronica wondered with an absent minded smile on her face, delicately nibbling at the chocolate covering her own ice cream.

“Yeah almost 10 months. I can’t believe how fast it’s gone. I feel like it was just yesterday I met all of you guys for the first time,” Betty replied quietly, tucking herself under Jughead’s arm.

“It’s gone way too quickly,” Jughead agreed, pulling her closer so she was sitting on his lap. “I can’t believe you went out with me after the awful first impression I made. Do you remember that?”

“How could I forget? You came and sat next to me in Pop’s and spoke to me in the single worst accent I have ever heard,” Betty said with a laugh as she relived the memory.

“Oh come on, it wasn’t that bad,” Jughead protested.

“Really Jug? First of all, _I’m not Australian_. Secondly, that was the worst accent I have ever heard and you forget that Kevin is my best friend and you’ve heard him trying to do an American accent,” Betty pointed out, turning slightly to face him.

“Am I really worse than Kevin? If so, I apologise wholeheartedly. Definitely not my finest moment,” Jughead conceded, placing a small kiss in her wet hair. Betty closed her eyes momentarily, wanting to soak up the feeling and live in it for as long as she could.The couple was oblivious to the look Veronica and Archie exchanged, a certain understanding passing between them as the stood up. 

“What are you guys doing?” Jughead asked, causing Betty to open her eyes. 

“We thought we might leave you guys for a bit. Go and get something for dinner and maybe do a little shopping. We’ll be back in a couple of hours,” Ronnie reassured them as she packed up her empty ice cream wrapper and dropped it back into the chilly bin. 

“Any chance you guys could keep an eye on the stuff?” Archie asked as he fished his car keys and wallet out of one of the beach bags. 

“No problem,” Betty reassured him with a gentle smile. “We’ll see you guys soon.” The duo disappeared behind the trees and all of a sudden, Betty and Jughead were left alone on the beach. The sound of Archie’s car quickly faded into the distance and all they could hear was the occasional bird call and the steady crashing of waves on the shore. 

“I think I started falling for you after our first date,” Betty confessed as she stared straight ahead, all of her attention focused on the ocean as her mind wandered elsewhere. “It wasn’t even something you did or said. I remember sitting there eating pancakes with you the next morning and all of a sudden I was think ‘hey, maybe I feel something for Jughead a little more than like’.” Betty shuffled slightly on his lap so his arms enveloped her completely, blocking out the outside world and making it seem as if it really was just the two of them.

“I knew for sure that I was in love with you just before Christmas. I was in New York and we were Skyping and talking about something and it just hit me; I was head over heels in love with you. I was so … happy in that moment. I felt absolutely invincible, as though nothing could ever stop me feeling the way I do when I’m with you. Then I had no idea how to tell you so I was freaking out for a few days if I’m honest. I didn’t really get over myself until, well until I got your letter. And then here we are months and months later and it’s almost time to say goodbye and I … I don’t know if I can do it Jug. I don’t think I can say goodbye to you.” Betty’s face was hidden but Jughead could tell she was crying by the small shake in her shoulders and the way that her head bowed down just that much. He held her a little bit tighter but didn’t acknowledge it otherwise, getting the feeling she didn’t really want him to know.

“You know I think I liked you from the first time I saw you, as cliche as that sounds,” Jughead said with a small laugh. He reached one of his arms up to hold her head against his chest, needing to feel more of her, needing to support her. “I can remember Fred thinking he was so sly after you came over to the house that first day. He knew I liked you before I even did really and he kept dropping you into conversations and trying to see how I would react. Archie was completely oblivious, of course, and I don’t think he realised we were even friends until you kissed me at school that day.” He felt her shift slightly but refused to let go, even for a moment. All he wanted was for them to pretend that this encroaching deadline was nonexistent, like they had been for the last ten months. He knew that they couldn’t keep pretending any more but he wasn’t ready to face the reality of their situation, the reality of them.

“I actually have no idea when I fell in love with you.” Jughead felt Betty laugh into his chest, the sound bring him the strength he needed to break away from the impending darkness of his thoughts and focus on the light she had bought into his life. “I think it was probably that day with my dad. You saw all of the crap I’ve been through and all of the crap I still have to put up with but you still stuck around. You didn’t give up on me like so many other people have. I think that’s when I let myself fall in love with you, because I knew you weren’t going to up and run at the first bump in the road. I knew then that you were someone I could trust with everything, with my everything. After that I knew there was no going back.” Then there was silence. The kind of silence that seems to infect everything around them. The waves stopped crashing, the birds seemed to have flown away, their breathing stopped. Silence. It probably only lasted a handful of seconds but it felt like they had a whole lifetime of moments inside of those few seconds.

Betty ducked her head out of his grasp and looked up at him. As soon as his eyes latched onto hers it was like everything came crashing down, all of the noise, the colours, the movement. It all seemed to be exaggerated, ever more noticeable. But that’s just what she did to him. She made his whole world seem better. She made everything brighter, everything more. Suddenly, her lips were crashing onto his, all restraint forgotten as they tried to get more of each other. It was over as soon as it started, both of them clinging to each other as though they would disappear at any moment. 

“I love you Jughead. I love you so so much and I can’t, I won’t imagine my life without you. I don’t care what it takes or how hard it is, I’m not giving up on this, on us,” Betty whispered against him, his bare skin familiar against her cheek. 

“Betty, you are my entire world and if you think I’m letting you slip through my fingers you’re absolutely crazy,” Jughead breathed out as he pushed her hair out of her eyes, the simple action bringing him more comfort than he could remember having in a long time. “We’ll figure it out Betts, I promise.” Jughead pulled her impossibly closer, revelling in the way her body fit so perfectly in his, almost like they were made for each other. 

Neither of them had any idea how long they stayed there, sweet nothings and sacred promises whispered between the two and carried away on the salty air. By the time Veronica and Archie came back through the trees, the sun was hovering just above the horizon, threatening to plunge them into darkness but seemingly holding off, almost as if it knew they all needed this day to last just that much longer.

“Hey guys, is everything okay?” Veronica asked quietly as she sat down on her towel, Archie following along behind her with a bag of food.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m just a bit tired but I’m fine,” Betty replied with a shy smile, reluctantly lifting her head from Jughead’s chest so she could look at Veronica. Jughead kissed her forehead gently, leaving his lips there for just a moment longer than necessary.

“Well we bought food so hopefully that’ll help wake you up,” Archie said cheerfully as he emptied the contents of the bag onto Betty’s towel. It looked like they’d bought the whole supermarket and Archie just kept pulling things out of the bag, the end nowhere in sight. 

“Dig in,’ Veronica announced once Archie had finally finished. They all helped themselves to the food and spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing. Jughead noticed that Betty’s laugh wasn’t quite as loud as normal, her smile not reaching her eyes. Veronica noticed that Jughead wouldn’t leave Betty’s side for more than a few seconds, his hand always on her back or her shoulder or laced through hers. Archie noticed that Veronica seemed preoccupied, almost worried even. No one said a word. 

\--------------------

Betty leant against Jughead’s shoulder as soon as they got into the car, her gaze fixed out the window as they watched the ocean slowly disappear behind the lines of perfectly straight houses. She was asleep within minutes, breathing softly against his chest as the stars took over the dark sky. The car was completely silent for a long while, Archie’s sporadic tapping on the steering wheel as he turned a corner the only noise to disturb it. No one spoke until they started driving through Greendale.

“How is she really?” Veronica said quietly, careful not to wake Betty.

“She’s … she’s not great if I’m honest. I don’t know how she’s going to take leaving and I’m worried about her.” Jughead matched her tone as he looked down at the sleeping figure on his shoulder, moving slightly to brush a stray strand of hair off of her face.

“She isn’t as good an actress as she thinks she is. She’s been acting like everything is fine but I can tell that something’s off with her.” Veronica was still looking straight ahead but Jughead could hear the worry laced in her voice. Archie took his hand off the gear shift and rested it on Veronica’s thigh, sending her an encouraging look. She placed her hand on his, almost as if she needed him to ground her. It was momentary, a mere instant, but Jughead could almost sense the sorrow in her movement, the inexplicable need for his touch.

“Take care of yourself Ron. She’ll be okay, I’ll make sure of that.” Jughead placed his hand on Betty’s shoulder, holding her close.

“You too Jug. I know you love her and she obviously feels the same but you need to be careful when she leaves. Long distance relationships aren’t always easy,” Veronica advised, speaking gently so as not to offend Jughead.

“I know that and she knows that but I’m going to do whatever it takes to make it work. I … I need her, even if she isn’t here physically I still need her,” Jughead confessed, not looking at anything in particular.

“I’m always here for you Jug. I know we don’t really talk about that kind of stuff but I’m here if you need me,” Archie spoke up from the driver’s seat, his eyes still trained on the road ahead.

“Thanks Arch, I’ll let you know.”

\--------------------

The Pembrook quickly came into view, too quickly if you asked Jughead. 

“Betts,” Jughead said softly. “Time to go to bed.” Betty woke up slowly, eventually sitting upright before falling back against him.

“Juuuuug,” she whined, rubbing her eyes and willing them to open as she sunk further into him.

“I know babe, I know,” Jughead chuckled as he helped her out of the car, letting her lean against him as they made their way towards the front door. 

“Hey,” he said softly, forcing Betty to look up at him. “ Are you okay?” She nodded without thought and Jughead quickly stopped her. “Betts, come on. How are you really?” Betty paused for a moment, a pensive look on her face as she tried to find the right words.

“I’m … I’m exhausted Juggie,” Betty said softly as she leant her forehead on his chest, looking down at the ground. “I’m tired all the time and it doesn’t matter how much I sleep it doesn’t help. I just want to see Polly and Kevin and I can’t wait to go home. But then I realise what I’m leaving behind and I can’t decide which is worse. It’s so … exhausting.” Jughead wrapped his arms around her for what felt like the hundredth time that day. 

“I promise it’ll be okay Betty. I would do anything for you and if there’s anything, absolutely anything that I can do to make life just a little bit easier then let me know, okay?” Betty nodded reluctantly, practically collapsing into his arms. 

“You know I love you right?” Betty whispered, not quite able to work up enough energy to talk any louder.

“Good night babe, I’ll text you in the morning,” Jughead said as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

“As long as you don’t wake me up,” Betty replied with a cheeky smile as she walked away from him, heading towards the building. Jughead waited until she was safely inside before pulling out his phone, typing out a familiar text as he walked back to the car. 

\--------------------

Betty clambered up the stairs opened the apartment door, collapsing onto her bed as soon as she made it into her room. She dropped her bag down on the floor somewhere and reached for her phone, intending to turn off her alarm and allow her some much needed sleep after an exhausting day, both physically and emotionally. 

_Juggie: I love you and I’ll always be there for you xx_

She reached up and touched the note she’d stuck above her bed, the note he’d left her after their unforgettable weekend. Her fingers traced the words as they had so many times before. She turned off her alarm before opening up her messages and sent him a quickly reply.

_Betts: Thank you Jug. That means so much more than you will ever know xx_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if I made you cry, please don't hurt me. Let me know what you think in the comments :)


	17. The Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, I've been writing and rewriting it over the last couple of weeks and I am finally happy with it so I really hope you guys like it. Let me know what you think :)
> 
> Also a HUGE thanks to Jenna (@allskynostars) for reading over this and Simren (@wonderrful) for letting me bounce ideas off you. Lots of love for you both xx

The last few weeks were hard on all of them, somehow passing at the speed of the tortoise and the hare at the same time. Betty started pulling away from them, drawing into herself. Jughead made a point of ignoring the look Veronica sent his way each time Betty tried to fool them with a fake laugh or a forced smile.

He knew what she was trying to do, knew the heartache she was trying to protect herself from. She didn’t think he noticed the way she had started holding him that much tighter, kissing him for that much longer. He made a point of being close to her, finding excuses to wrap his arms around her or press his lips to her forehead. He could feel her relax under his touch and figured she could use any distraction she could get, anything to release her from her thoughts and steal her attention for even just a handful of seconds.

Their movie nights became increasingly frequent, neither of them pointing out that it was just another excuse to be close to each other since Betty always fell asleep within the first twenty minutes; her head in his lap while his fingers ran through her hair. He’d let her sleep until the credits rolled across the screen, carefully carrying her back to her room and helping her into bed, slipping in after her whenever he got the chance. He’d hold her in his arms as she waited for sleep to return, pulling her tighter when the tears came and whispering gentle promises as his lips moved across her skin, softly, slowly.

Hiram and Hermione had to go to New York for Betty’s last week, apologising profusely that they couldn’t be there to help her pack but reassuring her that they’d meet her at the airport to help her check in. Betty almost crumbled once they shut the door behind them, everything suddenly hitting her like a ton of bricks; she was leaving, actually leaving, in seven days. How was she supposed to go back to her overbearing mother and her hectic timetable? Deal with the struggles of being a teenager without her best friends there to help her?

Jughead managed to talk her through it, coaxing her to the bathroom with kind words and steady breaths. He helped her up onto the wide vanity and kept talking while he cleaned her palms, his calm voice helping to bring her back to him. He held her for a long time afterwards, an eternity passing between them before he picked her up and carried her back to her room, helping her change into clean pyjamas and then crawling under the sheets with her. He held her close until her breathing slowed, a sure sign that she’d fallen asleep. 

He carefully extracted her from his arms, leaving her sleeping peacefully as he snuck out of her bed and made his way to the kitchen. Jughead managed to gather up a few snacks in case Betty woke up, remembering that she was hungry after the last time she’d had an attack on New Year’s eve. Veronica was walking into the kitchen just as Jughead was finishing up, a sad smile on her face as she sat on one of the stools next to the bench. 

“Hey,” Veronica said softly, her tone matching her smile. She reached for an apple from the fruit bowl, rolling it between her hands without any intention of eating it.

“Hey,” Jughead replied, collapsing into a stool next to her. He leant against the bench with his hands on his forehead, his fingers fiddling with his unruly hair.

“Is Betty ok?” He took a deep breath, unsure of how he should answer the question.

“She’s an absolute mess Ron,” Jughead confessed, fixing his gaze on the bench as his fingers stilled themselves. “She’s tired all the time and then she can’t sleep. She’s almost always on the verge of tears and I’m scared to leave her side in case she collapses or something. She’s breaking and I … I can’t fix her.” It sounded strange to say those words out loud, to say them to someone. He’d been thinking about it a lot lately, those old feelings of helplessness and uselessness coming back out to play, creeping out of the dark corners of his mind and stopping him from seeing the light.

“Jughead, don’t even think about beating yourself up over this. You are doing a better job at helping her than Archie and I combined, ten times better even. The only reason that she hasn’t completely fallen to pieces is because of you. It’s because of the strength you're giving her. I can’t even begin to imagine what’s going through her mind but I know that she’s going to be okay because you’re there right beside her, carrying her when she can’t carry herself. You are such an incredible person for doing that Jug, I hope you know that.” Veronica abandoned her apple and turned to face Jughead, placing a hand on his shoulder and forcing him to look up at her.

“No I know I’m not your favourite person in the world, probably not even your second favourite, but know that I’m here for you Jug, and not just because you’re my boyfriend’s brother. Or my best friend’s boyfriend. I really do care about you. So if you ever need someone to talk to once … once Betty’s gone, just let me know.” The silence that fell between them was heavy, hidden emotions and unspoken words swimming between them until Veronica moved off her stool and wrapped her arms around Jughead, a rare display of affection between the two. 

“Thanks Ron,” Jughead breathed out as he held her for a beat longer, allowing himself to be vulnerable for just a few more moments. “I might just have to take you up on that,” he finished with a watery laugh, his vulnerable side refusing to go back into hiding. He fumbled over his words before backing out of the room, taking the plate with him. He managed to hold it together until he got back into Betty’s bed, the tears falling silently as he placed a shaky kiss on her bare shoulder, murmuring words that she would never hear into the dark room.

\--------------------

Jughead slept with her every night after that. Fred pretended not to notice Jughead’s almost constant absence, turning a blind eye just this once. Their movie nights we're replaced with early nights, neither of them feeling the need to pretend any longer. Jughead would read out loud until Betty’s eyes fell closed as she lay across him, the space between them non-existent.

School was a different kind of painful, Betty kept up the friendly facade, answering her classmates’ constant questions about her return to New Zealand, her grip on Jughead’s hand tightening each time she had to spit out the answers she’d been saying on repeat the last few weeks.

Her suitcase lay empty on her floor until Friday, a gentle reminder from Jughead leading to both of them sorting through her closet and slowly dismantling the safe haven she’d built for herself over the last 10 months. More tears were shed as they emptied her room and refined her entire world to 23 kilos, tears of joy and anguish mingling together until they couldn’t tell them apart. 

By the time the clock struck midnight, the room was empty, the only signs that Betty had ever been there were the overflowing suitcase by the door and the pile of books and clothes she was leaving behind. She changed into her pyjamas and carefully rolled up her clothes, somehow managing to find room for them in her bag. She collapsed onto her bed and pulled Jughead down on top of her, the smile on her face helping to mask the tears in her eyes.

“Thank you Jughead,” she mumbled out, her fingers tracing his features as if she was seeing him for the first time.

“You’re welcome Betts. It was no trouble,” Jughead replied, returning her smile and placing a soft kiss on her lips before falling down beside her, his eyes never leaving hers.

“No, I mean … thank you, Jug, for everything. For giving me the most incredible 10 months I could have ever asked for. For showing me all of those beautiful places and beautiful things. For being the most amazing, supportive, kind-hearted, patient person I have ever met. Thank you for seeing me and for loving me anyway.” Betty’s voice was soft as her fingers fiddled with that one strand of hair that constantly dropped onto his forehead. Their bodies were pressed together, breath mingling in the balmy air, hands wandering, caressing, memorising.

“It was a pleasure and an honour Betts,” Jughead assured her with a smile, moving his hand from the small of her back to cup her cheek. His thumb gently swiped at the tears which were starting to fall, smudging the watery tracks running down her skin. She let out a small chuckle as she tried to stop herself from crying again, wanting her last night with Jughead to be full of memories, a spot of sunshine on an otherwise stormy day. She was so sick of crying, of breaking down in his arms and the constant weight of exhaustion that she was forced to carry wherever she went. All she wanted was one final night of him and her and them before they were forced to interact with two screens and several oceans between them.

“Betty Cooper, I love you.” His voice was little more than a whisper but it was all Betty needed to keep the smile on her face as the tears kept falling, her mind suddenly wandering back to that unforgettable night all those months ago when they’d both said those three little words for the first time, repeating them over and over until they were the only words either of them could think of.

“Jughead Jones, I love you.” She curled into his chest as his arms came around her, trying to hold her for as long as he could. One of his hands reached up and ran through her hair, untangling it from her hair tie and letting it cascade down her back. Betty chuckled once again and he look down at her curiously.

“What?” He asked, eyebrows furrowed.

“Nothing, I just find it funny that you like playing with my hair,” she mumbled into shirt, her wide eyes sparkling up at him.

“I can stop if you want,” Jughead said as he still his hand, resting it on her shoulder. 

“No, no that’s ok. You can keep going,” Betty replied as she snuggled back into his chest. His fingers returned to their previous position and moved slowly, massaging out the knots in her golden locks.

“I’m gonna miss you Betts.” He mumbled it under his breath and if Betty hadn’t been curled against him she didn’t think she would’ve heard him. That was the first time he’d said those words, the first time he’d really acknowledged that she was leaving, that they would change. 

“I’m gonna miss you too Jug.”

\--------------------

Betty’s alarm went off early the next morning, just like it had so many times before, only this time they were already wide awake, a mess of limbs and broken whispers. Jughead pulled her closer, placing a soft kiss on her forehead and letting his lips linger for that much longer. He reluctantly extracted himself from Betty and slipped out of the blankets.

“Come on Betts. We’ve … we’ve got a big day ahead of us,” he finished with a sigh, picking his shirt off of the floor and pulling it over his head. He sauntered around to the other side of the bed and sat down beside Betty, brushing an unruly strand of hair out of her eyes.

“Are you sure we can’t just stay here? Just a little bit longer,” she mumbled as she moved closer to him, reaching for his hand and bringing it to her lips. “Just a little bit longer.”

“I know babe, I know,” he said softly, his expression matching his words. “But you … you’ve got a plane to catch.” His tone was light but Betty could see the familiar storm brewing in his eyes. She took a deep breath before pushing back the blankets, leaning on Jughead to help her stand up, her legs suddenly feeling weak.

He sat her back down on the bed, grabbing the clothes Betty had left out the night before and placing them next to her. She got changed in silence, unspoken thoughts hanging between them like thick fog. 

“Time for breakfast?” Jughead asked once Betty had managed to re-close her suitcase, all of her possessions safely packed inside.

“Time for breakfast,” Betty said with a sigh, leaning into Jughead’s side as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She let Jughead lead her into the kitchen, the steady sound of the wheels of her suitcase on the wooden floor doing nothing to drown out the noise in her mind.

\--------------------

The car ride was silent, various road markings Betty had become familiar with whizzing past faster than she remembered. Her head was resting on Jughead’s shoulder, hand grasped tightly in Veronica’s as Archie tapped out an absent-minded tune on the steering wheel.

Soon enough, the looming skyscrapers raced into view, the signs for the airport coming not long after. Betty wound down her window, letting the noise of the city and the warm summer breeze flood the car. She watched the people they sped past, fixating on the mundane details and the hidden secrets that revealed themselves.

The signs to the airport became more and more frequent, finally morphing into the airport itself. They eventually found an empty park and Archie unlocked the boot, lifting out Betty’s suitcase and rolling it over to her. She managed to get out of the car and suddenly time stopped and everything seemed to be moving without her, leaving her behind. Before she’d had time to register what was happening they had walked through the front door, Hiram and Hermione greeting them with open arms. Hiram took her suitcase and led her to the check-in desk, helping the lady at the desk understand Betty’s accent as they went through the monotonous routine Betty remembered all too clearly.

They returned to the group minutes later, Hiram saying something about the lack of a line that Betty didn’t really process. All she could see was Veronica, tears already in her eyes as she stood with Archie, his arms wrapped around her protectively. And Jughead, that blank expression on his face he only ever got when he was lost in thought, the look in his eye telling Betty she was probably better off not knowing what he was thinking.

“Mija, have a safe flight. And be sure to send us a message at each stop over. I can’t imagine your mother would be too happy with us if we just left you to your own devices,” Hermione said with a well-practiced smile, stepping forward and enveloping Betty in a hug. 

“Thank you Hermione, for everything. I really couldn’t have asked for a better host family. You guys have been so incredible and words just really don’t cut it,” Betty replied, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. She stepped out of Hermione’s embrace and turned to Hiram, giving him a quick hug as well. “Thank you both, so, so much.” 

“It was our pleasure Betty. Any time you’re in the States just let us know and I’m sure we can arrange something,” Hiram offered, flashing her that easy smile she had started to associate with him.

“I’ll be sure to take you up on that offer.” A heavy silence fell over the group, the weight of every word hanging in the over air-conditioned air. 

“Well I think we’ll leave you to say goodbye to your friends. Be safe,” Hermione stated, kissing Betty on the cheek before taking Hiram’s arm and walking out of the front doors. The remaining four watched them leave, waiting for the doors to shut behind them before turning back to face each other. 

“Maybe we should go and find a seat inside so Betty doesn’t miss her flight announcement,” Archie suggested, taking the lead since it was fairly clear none of his friends we're in the emotional state to make any decisions, even something as inane as that. The other three nodded in agreement and made their way through to the seating area, Betty clinging to Jughead’s arm as Veronica clung to Archie’s.

\--------------------

Archie went first, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her, taking Betty by surprise. She startled for a second before returning the embrace, the display of affection unusual but not unwanted.

“I’m really glad I met you Betty,” he said with his eyes cast to the floor, stepping out of the hug with a cough to disguise the hitch in his voice. Betty let out a good-hearted laugh, happy for the distraction from what was coming, and patted Archie on the shoulder. 

“I’m really glad I met you too Arch,” she added, a small smile clouding the tears in her eyes. “Take care of V for me. She’s gonna need someone to carry her up the stairs when she wears her new heels,” Betty teased, a joking smile being sent in the direction of her host sister. 

“That was one time!” Veronica exclaimed, leaning further into Archie’s side as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

“I will Betty, don’t worry about that,” he said fondly, his eyes glued to Veronica’s. The four of them stood in a heavy silence, none of them wanting to acknowledge the time passing between them, the clock running out. 

Veronica was the next one to move, sliding out from under Archie’s arm and hugging Betty, her head tucked into Betty’s shoulder. Betty hugged her back straight away, feeling the tears starting to fall as she held her tighter, closer, longer. 

“What am I going to do without you B?” Veronica whispered into Betty’s ear. Neither of them were under any pretenses, both of their facades crumbling down as Betty let out a quiet sob, the thought of losing her host sister and best friend becoming all too much. 

“For starters, you’re going to have to teach Archie how to shop.” Veronica let out a watery laugh which quickly morphed into loud sobs, both girls falling to pieces. They were both so caught up in their own tears they failed to see Archie sit down next to Jughead, forcing him to tear his gaze off the floor.

They didn’t say anything, an unspoken conversation passing between them as Jughead tried to wipe the tears out of his eyes, not quite succeeding as they kept being replaced by new ones. Archie placed a hand on his shoulder and Jughead looked up at him, hoping his brother could tell how grateful he was for him in that moment.

“Okay, okay. If I don’t let go now I never will,” Veronica said weakly as she held onto Betty for a moment longer, reluctantly moving away and going straight to Archie who pulled her close again. 

“I love you V. I’ll call you as soon as I get home okay?” Veronica responded with a small nod, somehow wiping at her tears without ruining her makeup.

“I think we’ll leave you two to ... to say goodbye. We’ll see you in the car Jug?” Archie asked, one hand on Jughead’s shoulder and the other around Veronica’s waist. Jughead nodded and looked down at the floor, not wanting to burst into tears in front of Archie and Veronica and unable to look at Betty without the floodgates opening. Veronica hugged Betty once more before the couple disappeared out of view.

And then there were two.

Jughead slowly stood up from his seat and made his way towards Betty, stopping when there were mere inches between them. Betty’s eyes locked with his and she could have sworn that time stopped, the only thought her mind could produce was him. A million versions of him invading her thoughts. The way he looked at her before he kissed her for the first time. The nervous smile he’d worn on their first date. His playful competitiveness during their snowball fight on her birthday. The notes he’d left her. The nights he’d spent reading to her before wrapping her in his arms as they fell asleep. His soft words as he’d cleaned her palms on New Year’s Eve. His focused expression as his drove with his hand resting on her thigh...

“Hey, Betts, it’s gonna be okay,” Jughead said softly as he reached forward and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly as his lips danced across her forehead. “It’s gonna be okay. We’ll figure it out.”

She wasn’t sure when she’d started crying but all she knew was that she couldn’t stop. A whole year of memories kept running through her mind almost tauntingly, reminding her of the things that she’d miss once she got on that plane. 

“We have to.” It wasn’t until then that Betty realised he was crying as well. Nothing like her loud sobs, something quieter, gentler but filled with just as much sorrow. She lifted her head from his chest and cupped his face in her hands. 

“I love you Jughead,” was the only sound she could manage before his lips were crashing onto hers. While the kisses the night before had been sweet and gentle, this was needy and desperate, almost as if they we're trying to hold onto something that was already gone. 

“I love you Betty.” As soon as she heard those words everything seemed to melt away; flights and oceans and countries and time, none of it seemed quite as daunting because she knew that he loved her and she was damn sure that she loved him. As long as they held onto that they would be alright. They had to be alright. 

“I … I have something for you,” Jughead mumbled once they came up for air. He pulled himself away from her and walked back to his seat, sitting down next to the bag that Betty hadn’t realised he was carrying. She sat down beside him and turned to face him, letting her backpack fall to the ground. He pulled out a wrapped parcel and handed it to her, that familiar nervous smile on his face. 

She accepted it with a grateful grin and kissed his cheek, knowing that words wouldn’t be enough and wanting to make the most of the physical contact while she still could. She pulled the card out of the ribbon and started to open it, stopping once she felt Jughead’s hand on hers.

“That, it might be better if you open that once … once I’m gone,” he gulped down, his smile disappearing. 

“Can I not take a peek now to make sure you aren't turning me into a drug mule?” She joked feebly, managing to return a hint of a smile to his lips. He relented fairly quickly and Betty carefully opened up the package and sent him a knowing look once she figured out what it was.

“Jug, this is too much,” she pleaded, kissing him again, and again, before ripping off the rest of the paper. She pulled the book out of the broken packaging and admired the cover. He’d stuck one of their goofy photos from New York on the cover, a selfie they’d taken on his camera from the top of the Empire State Building. He’d stuck a small note underneath the photo, the words _our adventures_ written in his familiar messy scrawl. Betty looked up at Jughead, the gorgeous smile on her face matching his as the uncertainty left his eyes. 

“Thank you Juggie. I think this is the best gift anyone has ever given me,” she giggled as she flipped through the pages, finding more photos and notes from their various adventures. 

“You know I’d do anything for you Betts,” he said lovingly, his smile returning to his face at the sight of her so happy after all of the tears they’d shed in the last few hours. He leant forward and kissed her slowly, gently, sweetly.

“What was that for?” She asked him cheekily, leaning her head on his shoulder as she stared at the front cover of the photo album.

“Because I love you,” he said surely, not a single doubt in his mind.

They stayed like that for a while; Betty’s head on his shoulder, the photo album in front of them as they flipped through the pages, his hand resting on her waist as his thumb moved in lazily circles. The overhead speaker popped their bubble and forced them back into reality as it announced the time, indicating that Betty had to go through security. She stayed still for a moment, just long enough for Jughead to place a final kiss on her forehead before she lifted her head off his shoulder and carefully slid the photo album into her backpack, moving a few things around so it fit. 

“So, I guess this is it,” Jughead mumbled as he stood in front of her, his hands clasped in hers. She stepped forward and hugged him, needing the comfort she found in his arms and the strange ability he had to make it all feel better. 

“I’ll call you as soon as I get home,” she mumbled into his chest, feeling the need to cry but finding that all of her tears had been used up.

“If you call Veronica before me I’ll go over there myself,” he teased, his emotions warping his voice.

“I might just have to do that then, won’t I?” She pulled herself away from him and kissed him for the last time, trying her hardest to lose herself in it completely.

“I’ll see you soon,” she whispered as they pulled apart, their lips still ghosting.

“I’ll see you soon.” And with that she was gone, speeding towards the security line without so much as a backwards glance to make sure she didn’t do something stupid and miss her plane. The only thing that she could think of was five little words that seemed to have crawled under her skin and polluted her every thought.

_What if that’s a lie?_


	18. The Calls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, me again with an update finally. You may have noticed that I've added another chapter because, well, I felt like it and you'll soon find out why. I'm not sure when I'll be updating next because I'll be travelling for the next two weeks (I'm finally going home) but I hope (for your sake) that it'll be soon.
> 
> Huge enormous thanks to Jenna (@allskynostars) for reading over this and helping me plot and to Simren (@wonderrful) for letting me tease her mercilessly.

“God it’s good to see you,” Betty breathed out as soon as the grainy image of his face filled her laptop screen.

“Betts, it’s been two days,” Jughead said through a soft laugh, that lazy smile she loved so much resting on his lips.

“I know but … well, I missed you.” Her voice was quiet as she looked down at the keyboard and brushed away some imaginary fluff.

“What’s up babe?” He would give anything to be able to reach out and touch her, brush that lone strand of hair out of her face and tilt her chin up, let himself get lost in the depths of her green eyes. But he couldn’t, something he had to remind himself of every day when he reached for his phone to see if she wanted to walk to school together or ask if she was free that weekend. 

“I … I had another attack.” Jughead reached over and turned up the sound on his computer, her voice so quiet it was getting distorted as it poured out of his crappy speakers. 

“Mum was yelling at me again. I can’t even remember what it was about but it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. I tried to call Polly afterwards but she wasn’t picking up and then I went to call you but time zones are a bitch so of course you were asleep and I know that you’ve had trouble sleeping so I didn’t want to wake you up or end up waking up Archie and Kevin was busy and I felt so … alone. I felt like there was no one around me that I could talk to and then on top of all the assignments I have to hand in next week and all of this stuff with my mum I just sort of freaked I guess. I don’t know, it sounds stupid now that I try and explain it.”

“Betty, there’s nothing about that that’s anywhere near stupid, okay? You have a lot going on at the moment and it’s normal to be feeling stressed about school, especially with the pressure you put on yourself to excel at everything you do. Throw a crazy mum in the mix and I’m surprised you haven’t snapped sooner. Don’t ever feel bad about having a panic attack,” Jughead reassured her, catching her eyes through the screen and refusing to break his gaze. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know Jug,” Betty choked out, brushing the tears out of her eyes. “Everything is so hard and I miss you so much and just … these last three months have been hell without you Juggie. I need you,” she said softly, letting her tears flood her face as they refused to be stopped by her attempts to control them.

“I miss you too Betts.” Against his better judgement, Jughead reached out and ran his fingers over his screen, his fingers tracing her pixelated outline. “You do know that you can call me anytime. The fact that I have trouble sleeping means that you _should_ call me when you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed or even if you just want to talk. Don’t worry about waking me up. I will gladly lose an hour or so of uneventful sleep if it means I get to talk to you.” Betty took a deep breath and nodded slowly as Jughead sent her that damn smile that he knew made her weak in the knees and agree with anything he said.

“Besides, you know that Archie is impossible to wake up once his head hits the pillow so you can’t use that as an excuse,” Jughead joked feebly as he cocked an eyebrow in jest. Betty let out a weak laugh and sighed once more, revelling in the warmth that spread through her chest at the sight of him. Whenever she was with him she felt like everything was okay but then as soon as the screen went dark she was plunged back into reality, reminded that everything around her was slowly unravelling.

“What are you looking at Betts? Do I have something on my face?” Jughead asked as his fingers flew up to play with that rebellious curl that always fell over his forehead. 

“No, I’m just … looking,” Betty said cheekily, a smile playing on her lips. Jughead let out a content sigh, happy that he was able to make Betty feel even the slightest bit better.

“Jug! We’re gonna be late for school if you don’t stop flirting with your girlfriend. Hurry up!” Archie called out from the bottom of the stairs, his voice barrelling through the open door. 

“I guess that’s my cue. Please _please_ call me whenever you need to, even if it’s three in the morning.” Jughead pleaded as he started moving around the room, throwing books into his satchel haphazardly.

“I promise Jug. I love you.”

“Love you Betts, talk to you later.”

\--------------------

“Would you mind if I killed Veronica accidentally on purpose?” Jughead asked casually as he accepted Betty’s video chat request.

“That depends. I’m gonna say yes because she’s basically my sister but I’m sure I could be persuaded otherwise,” Betty teased, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Things had been slowly getting better over the last few weeks. Betty had kept her promise, waking Jughead up a few times so he could help calm her down and avoid another panic attack. It was getting better, but they were getting worse.

Some days it felt like it was suffocating her; the homesickness she felt despite technically being back home. She missed him so much it seemed like a weight she had to carry around, a constant elephant in the already crowded room that housed her thoughts. She never realised just how much she missed him until she saw him on her screen, taunting her, making her feel like they were close enough to touch despite the thousands of kilometres between his lips and hers. It was always so easy between the two of them but she could tell that the distance was beginning to take its toll on him, on them. 

She could hear it in the words he had started choosing carefully, feel it in unfamiliar expressions he sometimes wore when she would look at him for just that moment longer. It was starting to fall apart, _they_ were starting to fall apart, the physical distance finally beginning to show in the prolonged silences and the awkward pauses. 

But then they would have conversations like this one, the conversations that flowed so easily that she felt like they were sitting on the banks of Sweetwater River, or curled up in an armchair in the Lodge’s library, or tangled in each other as they fell asleep in her bed. 

“She stole my laptop Betts! I mean, I know that I may have sort of purposely spilt part of my milkshake on her but stealing my laptop is just too far,” Jughead exclaimed, throwing his hands about expressively. Betty let out a small giggle as she watched his outburst, thinking that he looked adorable with his hat slipping down his forehead as he paced back and forth within the view of the screen.

“Do I want to know why you spilt your milkshake?” Betty asked teasingly, unable to hide how ridiculous she found the situation.

“Her and Archie were making out in Pop’s _again_ and I swear I was aiming for Archie but then I just happened to tip my glass over exactly as Ron climbed onto Archie’s lap so _technically_ she should be blaming Archie because it’s all his fault.” Jughead finished with a flop, falling onto his bed and shifting slightly so she could still see him.

“I think you need to go full ‘Home Alone’; set up booby traps all over the house, steal Archie’s phone and send her a text to come over, and then sit back and enjoy the show,” Betty suggested, trying so hard to be serious but not quite succeeding.

“Babe, it’s not even November, why are you already watching Christmas movies?” 

“Who said I watched it recently?” Betty asked as her eyes narrowed with curiosity.

“Because last year you told me that movie is your guilty pleasure and the one Christmas movie you’d watch all year around and that you watch it whenever you’re in a crappy mood,” Jughead pointed out. Betty opened her mouth to deny it but Jughead cut her off. “And I can see the DVD case open on your desk.” If anyone ever needed the perfect example of a smug expression, all that they would have to do is take a photo of Jughead in that exact moment.

“Fine, you win. Yes, I did watch it last night but I still think that would be a great way to get back at V.”

“I think Archie would kill me before letting me use his phone. Also, you said you watched that movie last night, is everything okay Betts?” Jughead tone changed from joking to serious in a second and it caught Betty off guard.

“Same old, same old. I don’t know really. There isn’t anything specific I was just in a crappy mood last night and needed something to take my mind off … well, off everything really,” Betty said casually, knowing exactly what Jughead was going to say but not wanting him to make a big deal out of it.

“Babe, why didn’t you call me?”

“Because you’re not here!” Betty practically yelled and was suddenly grateful that her parents were out of the house. “Because, Jug, you can’t do everything for me. I can’t ask you to fix all my problems or indulge my every need as soon as I feel less than one hundred percent. You’re not here and I have to learn how to do some things for myself.” The line went silent and Betty would have thought he’d hung up if she couldn’t see Jughead’s broken heart etched across his face.

“Sorry Jughead. I didn’t mean to yell at you like that. I’m just … tired,” Betty muttered as she ran her hands over her face. They both knew that she wasn’t talking about sleep.

\--------------------

Betty was in her room on a Friday night, the blinking numbers on her alarm clock were tauntingly reminding her of every second that passed, every second he was late.

_How could he forget?_

Those words kept spinning around and around in her head, tripping over each other and breaking through every other blossoming thought.

_How could he forget? How could he forget? How could he for-_

Her intrusive thoughts were cut off by the sound of her phone buzzing on her desk. She leapt off her bed and hurried over to it, simultaneously tapping in her passcode and tripping over the sneakers she’d abandoned on the floor.

“Say hi to Betty for me,” Archie voice trickled out of her phone as the image waited to load.

“Say hi to her yourself.” The first glimpse she got of Jughead was the back of his head as he yelled at Archie over his shoulder. He turned around to face her with a goofy grin as Archie’s heavy footstep became louder and louder.

“Hey Betty!” Archie said enthusiastically as he leaned over Jughead, almost squishing him. “How’s it going?”

“It’s … it’s going good thanks Arch.” She pulled her lips into her best Cooper smile and her hands automatically flew up to her hair, smoothing it out and tightening her ponytail. She knew that Jughead had noticed the motion but she was hoping he wouldn’t call her out on it in front of Archie. He must have read her expression and said nothing but continued to look at her as if she was some strange animal he’d heard about but never actually seen in real life.

Archie must have noticed the heavy silence that was settling over the two of them and slowly backed away from the screen, shutting the bedroom door behind him.

“What’s going on Betts?” Jughead said tiredly, his hands reaching up and tugging his hat off his head before throwing it somewhere off camera. His hands started running through his hair, the habit he only ever feel back into when he was dreading something or feeling uncomfortable. How ironic.

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about,” she muttered bitterly as the plastic persona she’d slipped into moments ago fell away, leaving only the shell of her behind.

“Betty, don’t do this,” he sighed, collapsing onto his elbows and looking straight at her.

“Don’t do what Jug? What is it that you don’t want me to do?” She knew that she was overreacting but she couldn’t stop herself. Everything had started making her feel so numb lately but this, this was breaking through the bubble she hid herself inside. It was making her feel something and she couldn’t help but let herself indulge in just this one thing. 

“Don’t cut me out Betty! We’ve talked about this. If this is going to work then we can’t keep secrets. We can’t lie to each other.” He sounded defeated and Betty almost felt bad that her words had caused that broken tone but at least she was feeling _something_. 

“We both know I’m not the only one breaking promises around here.” She thought he wouldn’t hear. She thought she’d mumbled it quietly enough that her tiny microphone and his tiny speakers wouldn’t pick it up.

“Come on, what’s that supposed to mean?” His hand were in the air and his back was straight, almost as if he was trying to get away from her.

“You were three hours late Jug! You left me sitting here for three whole hours just waiting for you to call without so much as a single message to say you were running late or doing whatever the hell you we're doing.” Jughead’s face fell. Now he was looking at her as if he’d seen a ghost. Maybe that’s what she was to him; a lonely ghost, a whisper of a memory he could barely remember despite them only being apart for six months. She could feel the tears pricking at her eyes. She wasn’t going to turn into the girl that starts crying because her boyfriend forgets to call. She wasn’t. She wasn’t. She wa-

“You were waiting that whole time?” She could hear the pain in his voice, but it was a mere whisper over the sound of her tears as they came rushing down her cheeks. She nodded quickly and cast her eyes downwards, focusing on the ruined nail polish that coated her nails instead of the breaking boy on her screen. All that she wanted was to be in his arms, to feel him wrapped around her as she watched the world melt away while he made everything better.

But he couldn’t make it better this time because he was the one causing her pain, a pain that felt ten times worse than it should have after those long weeks of feeling nothing. She curled into herself and let her phone fall onto the bed in front of her, her knee covering the camera.

“Betts, I’m so so sorry. I was at Pop’s with Arch and Ron and we lost track of time. I didn’t realise until about an hour ago and by then I figured you’d be doing something else so I waited a bit until I saw you were online. I’m so so sorry Betts.” She could tell he meant it. Logically, her brain knew that every single word that came out of his mouth was completely and utterly sincere.

Her anxiety begged to differ.

_What’s stopping him from doing that again? How do you know he didn't just forget? He could so easily be lying to you. What if he had something better to do and he just … didn’t call? What if -_

“Betty? Babe, are you alright?” The voices in her head kept getting louder and louder, blocking out everything and everyone else as a familiar tightening sensation started spreading through her chest.

“Betty, I need you to take a nice deep breath. Can you do that for me?” His voice was soft and tempting, the only sound to break through the storm clouding her mind. She managed to take a shallow breath, feeling it shake as it made its way into her lungs. 

“Well done Betts. Can you take another breath?” She closed her eyes and focused on his voice, letting it pulling her out of the darkness as she took another breath, letting it go slightly deeper. She managed to find a rhythm and kept going, breathing in and out and in and out until the toxic words began to numb and melt back in with everything else.

“Can you move the camera so I can see you Betts?” His voice was still gentle, almost as if he was careful not to break her. It dawned on her that maybe he already had. Betty reached for her phone and repositioned it so she appeared on the screen, trying to keep her hands from shaking but failing miserably. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw her, grateful that she’d managed to avoid another panic attack and trying not to focus on the fact that he was the cause of it.

“Are you alright? I’m so sorry that I bought that on. I really didn’t mean to be so late calling you and if I had’ve known that you were waiting I would’ve left Pop’s sooner a-”

“Jughead, stop.” Betty’s words cut through his like ice, her tone frigid despite the shaky quality it possessed. “Just … just stop.” The tears came back for another round, obviously not getting their fair share the first time. “I can’t keep doing _this anymore_. It’s dragging us both down and I … I don’t want to say goodbye Juggie, I really don’t, but I think that’s what we need at the moment.” She couldn’t tear her gaze from her nails, couldn’t look up into his eyes because she knew the storm she would find there and the darkness her words would bring.

“Betts, Betts what are you talking about?” Jughead sounded frantic, the soothing quality his voice had just possessed disappearing without a trace.

“You can’t seriously think that this is healthy!” She screamed before taking a deep breath and forcing herself to calm down a fraction. “You forgot we had a call and that’s not even the first time,” Betty said with a slight chuckle, forcing herself to find some humor in this situation because she knew it would end in another panic attack if she didn’t.

“And then I almost had a panic attack over it which means that this is one of the many things in my life that is becoming more of a burden than a pleasure.” She knew that would sting, knew that would help convince Jughead to admit what they’d both known for longer than they cared to admit.

“If this is what you really want then I’ll support you Betty, you know I will.” His words were barely audible as they filtered out of Betty’s phone. 

“I guess that’s it then,” she mumbled, finally forcing her eyes up to the screen. They both let out a sigh as they soaked each other in. She couldn’t believe she was doing this, couldn’t believe she was letting go of one of the only lights in her otherwise dull existence.

“I still love you Jug.” Her voice was still shaking as the words fell from her lips before her mind could process them. “And I think I always will. But I can’t … this is becoming a chore and I don’t _want_ for you to become a chore for me. I want you to be someone I can come to for anything an-”

“I still am that person, Betty. I’m still here for you, even if I have a crappy way of showing it.” His fingers we're running through his hair again as his eyes locked on hers through the screen, pulling her in and refusing to let her go. 

“I’m gonna miss you,” she whispered as she let herself get lost in the digital recreation of him which filled her screen.

“Trust me when I say I’m not going anywhere,” he mumbled with a smirk, bringing his trademark humor into an otherwise heartbreaking conversation. 

“I’ll talk to you soon Jughead,” she said as she reached across to end the call.

“I love you Betts.”

The screen went black. And so did everything else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! But if you feel the need to scream at me a little (or a lot), leave a comment or come and scream at me on Tumble (@daisy-chain-gardens). I swear I wasn't trying to kill you guys, it just kind of ... happened ???


	19. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the final chapter. Sorry for the delay but I hope this makes up for it (and makes up for the cruel cliffhanger I left the last chapter on)
> 
> Ginormous thanks to Jenna (@allskynostars). You are a true superstar and I love you a lot. Thank you thank you thank you, this fic wouldn't be what it is without you <3

_Betts: Are you free to talk?_

_Juggie: …_

_Juggie: Yep. Gimme a minute to set up my laptop_

_Betts: ok_

“Hey Betts. Sorry it took me a bit to reply, I was just having dinner.” Jughead sat down in front of his computer, slightly out of breath after sprinting up the stairs as soon as he saw Betty’s message. 

“Don’t worry about it Jug. I just wanted to catch up. I feel like I haven’t talked to you in ages.” Betty was sitting in her bedroom, hair still wet from the beach as she wrapped her towel tighter around herself, using it as shelter from the cool summer breeze that was drifting through her window. 

“It’s only been a week,” Jughead said with a chuckle, reaching up and tugging his beanie off his head before running his fingers through his hair. 

“I know, I know,” Betty replied with an exaggerated sigh, rocking onto the hind two legs of her chair as she leant away from the screen. Jughead could tell there was something on her mind, something that she wanted to share. He hadn’t seen her in person in a year and a half but he could still read her like an open book.

“Betts, what’s going on?” His voice was low and teasing, that playful smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he waited for her reply. 

“Well…” she started off, sitting properly on her chair again as she contemplated how to tell him her news. “Guess what came in the mail today.” Jughead’s face immediately lit up, his smile causing his eyes to sparkle as he ran his fingers through his hair again.

“No way! It showed up today?”

“It did! I got home from my exam and it was in the letterbox! Oh my God, Jug, you have no idea how excited I am about this,” Betty squealed as she waved the letter around in front of the screen, jumping up and down while still holding her towel tight. 

“Betts, that’s incredible. I’m so proud of you.” She calmed down enough to sit at her desk, the smile on her face was anything but calm. Her eyes skimmed over the letter, despite having memorised it after she’d read over it a hundred times to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. 

_Dear Ms. Cooper,_  
_Congratulations! I am delighted to offer you admission to our Bachelor of Arts course at Victoria University, starting March the 5th, 2019. Your academic accomplishments, extracurriculars…_

“How was the beach?” Jughead’s voice broke her out of her daydream as she looked back up at the screen, a confused look on her face.

“Huh?” Betty asked, not quite able to put two and two together.

“How was the beach? Your hair’s all wet and I can see your bathing suit under your towel,” Jughead explained with a light chuckle, shaking his head slightly at her obliviousness.

“Oh, right. It was good, a lot of fun. Kev and I went to celebrate him finishing his last exam. We talked, we swam, we sunbathed. You know, the usual.”

“Say hi to Kevin for me next time you see him. And good luck for your last exam tomorrow. How are you feeling?”

“Not too bad actually. I did pretty good on my mocks and I am kinda good at Media so I’m not stressing out … yet.” They both laughed, knowing she was referring to how she always freaks out at the last minute, worrying she isn’t prepared enough and wishing she’d stayed up an extra half hour the night before, only to walk out of the exam room with an excellence every time. 

“Well you would think they wouldn’t let you study it in college if you weren’t amazing at it Betts. Give yourself some credit.” A delicate blush spread across her cheeks at the compliment, her smile softening. She still wasn’t used to the offhand comments Jughead would make that always seemed to make her day just that little bit brighter, her smile that little bit wider. He lived for her smile, and knowing he was the one that caused it made his heart swell. 

They sat in silence for a few moments, just looking and memorising, both of them itching to reach out and touch the other, even if only for a second. 

“You know what today is, don’t you?” He said it so softly the speaker distorted his voice, forcing Betty to strain to hear the words she didn’t want to, a reminder she didn’t need. She nodded slightly, her eyes never leaving his as they both took a deep breath. 

“A whole year Jug.” Betty’s voice was thick with disbelief, the words tumbling out of her mouth before her brain could approve of them.

“We’ve been broken up longer than we were physically together,” Jughead said with a short chuckle, laughing at the irony rather than the situation itself. 

“I miss you Jug,” Betty breathed out, knowing that Jughead would hear the _I love you_ hidden in her words.

“I miss you too Betts.”

\--------------------

“Merry Christmas!” Betty chirped once Jughead accepted her chat request. His smile instantly lit up the screen as he took her in; her red and white striped top perfectly matching her santa hat.

“Wow, did Santa’s elves kidnap you or are you dressed like that voluntarily?” Jughead teased while wiping his screen.

“Haha very funny. It’s 26 degrees here so Christmas sweaters aren’t really an option,” Betty clarified and she fixed her hat.

“You now that 26 means nothing to me. If you say 26 I’m thinking less than freezing and that's obviously not the case.”

“Right. I forgot. Give me a sec,” Betty said as she pulled out her phone, opening up the conversion app that had gotten a lot of use over the last 18 months. “About 79 fahrenheit. I know that's not super hot but trust me, that’s practically boiling in Wellington when there’s no wind.”

“That whole summer Christmas thing is so strange to me. How do you have snowball fights and hot cocoa and s’mores?” Jughead asked bewilderedly, breaking into a grin once Betty realised he was joking.

“In short, we don’t. We just get to hang out at the beach and have barbeques instead.” Her voice sounded smug and matter of fact as she pulled out the parcel that had been hidden under her desk since the postman had delivered it a week ago. 

“Alright Jug, I know this is what you’ve been itching to do since you got yours. You ready to open presents?” His eyes grew wide with excitement as a rushed to the closet and pulled out his own parcel, the one that Betty had wrapped in brown paper and Christmas coloured string.

“I feel like we should be doing a countdown or something,” he heard her mumble light-heartedly as he sat back down in front of his computer.

“No need for that babe, you go first.” That both froze at the endearment; Jughead with a look of terror on his face that he’d overstepped their unspoken boundaries while Betty tried to carry on as if nothing had happened, sending him that soft smile of hers that instantly melted all of his fears.

The tremble in her hand as she carefully unstuck the tape wasn’t fooling anyone.

“Jug, this is beautiful,” Betty exclaimed as she finally unwrapped the festive paper, revealing a brown leather journal. 

“Open it,” Jughead instructed quietly as he watched her, trying and failing to anticipate her reaction.

“Oh my goodness.” She was completely out of words as she undid the elastic band and opened up to the middle of the journal, Jughead’s familiar scrawl filling the page in front of her. She flipped through the second half of the pages and found the same thing; black ink in the form of Jughead’s words filling up the white pages. 

“Juggie, what is this?” She could feel the tears threatening to spill over the edge as her eyes finally met his. Seeing the confliction in her eyes scared him, made him wonder if he’d done the right thing by sending it to her. He’d written in it most days since that fateful Friday night when everything had changed but somehow nothing did. He’d sent it to her on an impulse, after spending most days over the previous two weeks on the lookout for the perfect present, only to come home empty handed each time.

“It’s … it’s us, it’s our story.” She stayed quiet as she stared down at the journal in her hands, unable to tear her eyes away from the note he’d left for her on the first page.

_Betts,_  
_Last year I promised to love you and always be there for you. Even without you here with me, I still plan on keeping that promise. This is for us, for you, mostly for you._  
_I miss you,_  
_Your Jughead_

Her fingers were running over the paper as if it would help her memorise the words, help the soak into her skin so she could wear them forever.

“I’m sorry Betty, I didn’t mean to overstep. I just … I thought you should have it,” He trailed off quietly as she kept staring at the ink stained pages, his fingers relentlessly pulling at that misbehaving strand of hair that refused to leave his forehead. 

“No, Jug, this is … I have no words,” she managed out through a hiccup, looking up at him. “This is perfect Jug, really.” He let out the breath he wasn’t aware he’d been holding at her reassurance, relieved he hadn’t ruined whatever was happening between them.

“Your turn,” she said with a soft smile as she carefully redid the elastic and placed in on the side of her desk, saving it for later. He managed to pull the string apart as he ripped at the paper, Betty laughing at his enthusiasm. 

“Betts,” Jughead drawled as he held his gift up to the laptop so she could see it, his smile wide on his face. It was a scrapbook identical to the one he’d given her at the airport, the same picture of them atop the Empire State Building gracing the cover. The only difference was what was inside, his professional looking photos that proved his eye for art were replaced by her photos, the goofy selfies she’d forced him to take and the photos she’d sneaked in when he wasn’t paying attention. This was her version of the story, their story. 

“You should have,” he said with a grin as he lay it down on the desk, flipping carefully through the pages as he skimmed over the pictures. “This is great Betts. Thank you.”

“Merry Christmas Jug,” she said with a gentle smile.

“Merry Christmas. I miss you,” he replied, echoing her tone.

“I miss you too.”

\--------------------

“Jug, I can’t hear you, there’s too much noise in the background,” Betty yelled to her computer as she watched Jughead turn up the noise on his laptop, people wandering in every direction behind where he sat. “Where are you anyway?” 

“Oh um…” Jughead trailed off, looking around him to figure out how much she could see. Everything, she could see everything. “I am, uh, at the, uh, at the airport actually,” Jughead stammered as his hand reached up to run through his hair, twirling the strands determinedly.

“The airport?” He could hear the surprise in Betty’s voice and all he really wanted was to change to subject and stop her from asking anymore questions. He knew her well enough to know that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. “Why are you at the airport?”

“It may be hard for you to believe but I’m actually waiting to get on a plane,” Jughead quipped over the noise, a teasing lilt in his voice.

“Haha very funny. I’m not that stupid thank you very much. I mean where are you going?” Now Jughead was really beginning to panic. He couldn’t tell her the truth, could he? No, no he couldn’t. 

“Uh, Veronica decided on an impromptu trip to New York but the chauffeur is sick so she booked us on the next flight?” The question in his voice gave him away and as soon as the words fell out of his mouth he wanted to stuff them back in and lock them away.

“Are you asking me if that’s what’s happening or is that what’s actually going on?” Betty teased, that curious glint in her eyes telling Jughead she was onto him.

“Definitely what’s going on. Mhmm. The absolute truth.” Jughead nodded enthusiastically, making him look more like a dog then an actual human being as he tried to convince her of his lie. “Anyways, enough about me. How’s it going for you Betts? You excited for Monday?” Jughead asked quickly, hoping to distract her. Her eyes narrowed as she studied him, almost as if she could see the truth swimming around in the depths of her eyes. He could almost see the cogs turning in her head as she tried to figure out what he was up to. Eventually, she seemed to realise he wouldn’t tell her and moved on to answer her question. 

“I’m good, always good. I’m super excited for Monday, constant butterflies in my stomach kind of nervous. I can’t believe my first day at university is only a couple of days away, it’s insane.” She settled back into her usual self as she filled him in on everything that had happened since they had talked the week before; moving into her flat, her crazy vegan flatmate who insisted all of their animal products be moved to a seperate fridge so it didn’t ‘contaminate’ her food, various last minute shopping trips, and her time spent with Kevin. 

“Well I’m glad you’re happy Betty,” Jughead said softly, Betty hearing the support in his words even over the hustle and bustle of the people in the background.

“I really am Jug. I haven’t felt this way in a while and it’s so … refreshing. I don’t feel like my mother is watching my every move and I got into my top uni and I have a job that doesn’t look like it’ll be going anywhere and I … it’s just really nice, to be independent, you know? I feel like I’m finally doing something purely for me and it’s really exciting.” Her eyes were twinkling as she talked, letting Jughead know that she meant every word of it.

“I just wish you could be here with me.”

It came out as a whisper, a thought spoken aloud as she fiddled with the tassels on one of the pillows on her bed. Such a short confession that almost broke his heart. Almost.

“I do too. I miss you Betts, so much, and I’m super sorry but I have to go because they’re about to call my flight. I miss you.”

“I miss you too. Have a good flight, we’ll talk later,” Betty promised as she started shutting her laptop.

“Talk later,” he signed off before the screen went black.

Only one thought was floating around Betty’s usually crowded mind; Riverdale didn’t have an airport.

\--------------------

Betty quickly glanced at herself in the mirror before she walked out of the door and towards her first class. The butterflies in her stomach wouldn’t calm down as she smoothed down her hair and straightened her jacket, took a deep breath, and grabbed her keys off the hook in the hallway before she could psych herself out. 

The walk to the campus only took a handful of minutes and Betty spent the whole time caught up in her thoughts, barely noticing the asphalt under her feet or the birds chirping in her ears. She found the right building and walked up the two flights of stairs to her class, a path she’d memorise the night before after spending hours pouring over the maps the university had provided for first-year students. 

She was 20 minutes early, perfectly on time for her ‘mental health and disorder: interdisciplinary perspectives’ class. She hadn’t been entirely sure what it was about but after reading through some of the resources that the professor had sent them the week before, Betty was fairly confident she wouldn’t be completely lost during this first class. 

She pulled her book out of her bag and started reading, figuring she might as well kill some time and try to distract herself before her other classmates arrived. The words of ‘The Princess Bride’ drawing her in immediately as her eyes flew over the pages, taking comfort in the familiar words.

“This is true love. You think this happens everyday?” A male voice pulled Betty from the pages, forcing her back into the real world as she looked up beside her to where the voice was coming from. And standing right beside her, in the middle of the now fairly crowded corridor, was none other than Jughead Jones. 

“Jug?” Betty asked in disbelief, her eyes wide open as she took him in. Before he had a chance to give her a sarcastic response, her arms were thrown around his neck as she crushed herself against him, holding him tightly as though he was going to disappear in the next breath. “I can’t believe you’re here,” she whispered into his ear, immediately making him relax as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. 

“Surprise,” he whispered back, feeling her smile into his shoulder. They eventually untangled themselves as someone around them coughed loudly, hinting not-so-subtly that it was time to break things up. 

“But - you - what, what are you doing here?” Betty stumbled over her words as she tried to make a mess out of the jumble of thoughts in her mind. Jughead was here, in Wellington, right beside her, in her university? This was going to take a lot of explaining. 

“I uh, I’m studying here. I got into the film program on a scholarship and I guess our programs share some courses. I was planning on telling you but then I made the mistake of letting Arch know and, well, you know how it goes. He told Ron and then Ron took it upon herself to watch my every move to make sure I didn’t tell you to keep _this _a surprise,” Jughead summed up, knowing that wouldn’t be enough of an explanation for Betty but hoping it would be okay for now as the professor was now walking down the corridor towards the class.__

____

“I’m really happy you’re here Jug,” Betty said softly as she slipped her hand into his, letting their fingers intertwine.

____

“I am too,” Jughead replied as his thumb brushed over the back of her hand, bringing her that certain kind of peace she only felt when she was with him.

____

“I missed you,” she whispered into his ear as they made their way into the lecture hall, the rustle and bustle of everyone preparing their things giving Jughead enough time to whisper back as they slipped into their seats.

____

“I missed you too.”

____

__

____

\--------------------

____

____  
  


As soon as the professor finished his lecture, Betty raced to pack up her things and made her way out the door, dragging Jughead along behind her. She stopped abruptly as soon as they got out of the building, looking around for a moment before finding a park bench nearby and leading him to it, sitting down facing him before taking a deep breath.

____

“Okay, so Jug, I need you to start from the start and explain this entire thing to me because my head is spinning. This is so insane and I am so happy you’re here with me and that you flew all the way to New Zealand is just unbelievable and I just s-”

____

“Betty,” Jughead said through a laugh, reaching for her hands to cut off her ramblings before he had to fight any harder to get a word in edgeways. “I will answer all of your questions, I promise. There’s just one little thing I have to do first and then I’m all yours.” Betty’s animated expression sunk a little at his words.

____

“Oh, yeah, okay. I could meet up with you later at the Mojo on the corner if you want? How about in an hour? Wait, you probably don’t know your way around yet s-” Jughead’s lips came crashing onto hers, his hands now cupping her face so as to pull her closer. Her eyes widened in surprise before fluttering closed once her brain realised what was happening, bringing her own hands up to play with the stray hairs at the nape of his neck.

____

Jughead pulled away slowly, reluctantly, breathing in as much of Betty in that moment as he possibly could. His hands stayed on her soft skin, gently stroking her blushed cheeks.

____

“Okay, now I’m all yours,” Jughead announced with a sly smile, proud that he was able to bring up enough courage to actually go through with his plan. Betty sat there, slightly stunned, as she realised that was the thing he said he had to do.

____

“That was incredibly smug Jones,” Betty shot back, failing to keep any hint of malice in her tone as she failed to control her grin. Jughead stood up and draped his arm across her shoulders, pulling her into his side and placing a kiss on her temple as they started walking towards the exit.

____

Betty wasn’t exactly sure what would happen, she wasn’t even sure _how_ it happened. All she knew was that she suddenly felt like she could do anything, and with Jughead by her side, she knew she would.

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And our journey has finally come to an end. Congratulations if you've made it this far. There were definitely a lot of bumps along the way but it is so incredibly satisfying to have finished this story off after the countless hours I've poured into it. This was my first fanfic ever, not just for Bughead, so I really jumped in the deep end but it was definitely worth it. Thank you all so much for sticking this out to the end and for all of the kind words you've left me about my fic. Hopefully the next one will be even better!


End file.
